Families with autistic children are being promised a $50 million support package by the Victorian opposition.
The money, provided over four years, would include a 24-hour helpline, a support group fund and a review of the current eligibility criteria for students with disabilities program.
"We've got an issue here that we need to deal with," Opposition Leader Matthew Guy told reporters.
"We've got families here who are hurting, we've got families who are are unsure what to do, we've got to provide greater support for them to give their kids the best start in life."
Autism peak body Amaze currently runs a support helpline and the coalition says they would give $2.4 million for it to become a 24-hour operation.
Mr Guy said his government would also create an advisory council to provide an ongoing forum for autism-related issues and feedback on the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Victoria.
A $4 million sum over four years would be spent re-establishing a clinic for children aged up to three who may have an autism spectrum disorder and to support ongoing research at La Trobe University.
The clinic would diagnose children years before they can be assessed by public diagnosis clinics, helping them get access to critical early intervention therapies sooner.
The plan has been backed by Amaze.
