The program, estimated to cost about $500 million, would be drawn from a state-based levy on banks.

In 2017, South Australia’s Labor premier Jay Weatherill announced a levy on banks to raise $370 million over four years from Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac, ANZ Bank and Macquarie.

The bill was defeated in the state’s upper house after pushback from the banks, which described it as “an ill-advised cash grab”.

Left-leaning think-tank The Australia Institute said SA’s proposed bank levy was sensible economics for cash-strapped governments.

University of Queensland economics professor John Quiggin said Australian banks were effectively guaranteed by government and the bank levy rationale “was perfectly reasonable”.

“The federal government have been willing to do it themselves, but they just hate state governments doing it,” Professor Quiggin said.

The federal government in 2017 put in place a 0.015 per cent levy on major banks, paid each quarter on the balance of a bank’s liabilities, which raises between $1.5 billion and $1.6 billion a year.

Professor Quiggin said using a levy on banks was a viable option for any state government because banks made such large corporate profits.

“Obviously South Australia tried it. The other thing thing is, what are the other choices? There aren’t many good options. Land tax is one, payroll tax. But all taxes have problems.”

Mr Berkman said the Greens believed the bank levy policy allowed a redistribution of revenue towards families.

“The average cost of a season of club sport in Queensland is $775 per year,” he said.

“That means a family with three children could end up having to pay over $2000 just so every child can play.

“That’s just too expensive for too many families.”

He said a Greens 0.05 per cent levy on the liabilities of the big five banks, while higher than the federal bank levy, could raise $1.2 billion a year in Queensland.

Labor introduced its three-year Active8 community sports program in 2019, channelling $25.5 million over three years to boost community sports programs.

It included vouchers of up to $150 for at least 45,000 children and young people
from low-income families towards physical activity participation.

The LNP in 2020 is yet to release an education policy involving community sports programs.