Study shines new light on daylight saving

With latest research showing majority support for daylight saving in Queensland, the push has intensified. VOTE IN OUR POLL

An overwhelming number of Queenslanders still want daylight saving time, according to new research to be presented to State Parliament.

Clocks in southern states will move forward an hour next weekend, almost 30 years after Queensland abandoned daylight saving after a three-year trial and a failed referendum.

A team of researchers from the University of Queensland has conducted interviews with hundreds of people across Australia’s eastern states, showing 60 per cent of Queenslanders – and 70 per cent of Brisbane residents – would like to see a return of DST.

The research is to be published in the next edition of the Professional Geographer and will be submitted to State Parliament in the hope of igniting another debate on the controversial subject.

The study also included interviews with people from other states on the east coast, with 85 per cent of respondents in favour of DST.

In capital cities it was even higher, at 88 per cent.

Researchers interviewed subjects from all walks of life and found broad support for DST from people across the board – except those in regional Queensland where support dipped to just under 50 per cent.

UQ senior lecturer in human geography Dr Thomas Sigler headed the project, and said it was time for a serious discussion on DST as the current situation, which costs the state economy an estimated $4 billion in lost productivity each year, was “untenable”.

Dr Thomas Sigler from the University of Queensland. Picture: supplied.

“Like many issues, it seems to be so divisive, yet once the electorate is given the chance to speak, you actually find that the ‘silent majority’ is very much in favour,” he said.

“When you have a clear majority in support of a simple measure, you know something needs to change.”

He also said the wide range of lifestyle characteristics of people in favour of daylight saving dispelled any myths that only certain demographics were in favour of it.

“What did surprise me is that no variables seemed to matter aside from geography (latitude and longitude), and to a lesser extent lifestyle – for example that ‘night owls’ are for it,” he said.

“We tested the impact of age, gender, occupation, employment status – none of it mattered.”

However, despite the impressive results, actually getting daylight saving back into play remains easier said than done.

A spokesman for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the State government was not changing its position on daylight saving while Opposition Leader David Crisafulli is also against it.

“All my working life I’ve spoken against daylight saving because I know the impacts on North and Western Queensland,” he said.

“I’m not about to change my opinion because I now live at the other end of the state.

“I’m interested in uniting Queensland, not dividing it.”