Daylight saving debate continues: Should Qld adopt daylight saving?

A new study says two thirds of Queenslanders would support the introduction of daylight saving, but no-one under the age of 50 has been given a chance to have their say. VOTE IN OUR POLL

• Your say: Fury over daylight saving

Two thirds of Queenslanders would support the introduction of daylight saving in the state, a new study has found.

Daylight saving kicks in at 2am on Sunday, when southern states will turn the clocks forward to allow “extra” daylight hours.

Clocks will then be turned back one hour on April 7, 2024, when summer months end and there is less light.

Participants include NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and Norfolk Island.

Queensland does not participate, however, the idea of introducing the daylight saving system remains hotly debated.

Graphic showing the differing hours of daylight across Australia throughout the year. Compares states and territories and shows the shift between daylight saving and standard time.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has long rejected the idea, again reaffirming her position during a media conference in Cairns on Wednesday.

When asked her position on daylight saving and whether Queensland should consider a split timezone, the Premier swiftly dismissed the idea saying: “I believe in one Queensland, not a divided Queensland”.

Previous studies and surveys have found the majority of residents, mainly in South East Queensland, are in support of daylight saving, including in a new comprehensive national attitude survey completed just last week by University of Queensland senior lecturer in human geography Dr Thomas Sigler.

The survey, which included responses from more than 1000 residents from each Australian jurisdiction, representative of equal age, gender and geographic location, found that two thirds of Queenslanders were in support of daylight saving.

“Preliminary results show 67 per cent of Queenslanders are in favour of it,” Dr Sigler said.

“Anything north of Bundaberg and west of Toowoomba, cut that out and 80 per cent are in favour.

“One thing that jumped out is people who were employed full or part time were more supportive than those without.

“It’s pretty obvious, if you can see the sun all day you don’t care when it rise or sets. That hour at the end is paramount.”

Dr Thomas Sigler University of Queensland

Support for daylight saving has been strongly backed by Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, who for years has said Queenslanders should at least be able to vote on the topic.

Queensland last held a referendum on daylight saving on February 22, 1992, meaning in 2024, no one under the age of 50 has had their say on the matter.

Cr Schrinner said support had grown considerably, as had the population and a vote was now well overdue.

“It’s been over three decades, or more than 11,530 days, since Queenslanders last had a say on daylight saving,” he said.

“Queensland is now home to around three million people who have never had a say on daylight saving and a large number of them live in the south east corner.”

A research project on Queensland attitudes towards daylight saving headed by UQ’s Dr Sigler in 2021 found that failure to turn the clocks forward was resulting in a $4 billion annual loss for the state economy.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner at the RNA Main arena. Picture: Adam Head

Cr Schrinner said failure to implement a trial was “just wasting money”.

“It’s been estimated that the Sunshine State loses around $20 million every day our clocks aren’t in sync with the rest of Australia’s eastern seaboard,” he said.

“Every dollar saved through the introduction of daylight saving is a dollar in the hip pocket of local businesses and the thousands of people they employ.

“It’s now not a matter of “if” but “when” Queenslanders will get another say on daylight saving so why not resolve this annual debate once and for all and let them have a say.”

A poll conducted last year by the influential Committee for Brisbane of more than 500 corporate and individual business members found 87 per cent supported another daylight saving trial 30 years after the last one.

Dr Sigler said the debate should no longer be politicised.

“It’s a geographical problem that’s become a political problem,” he said.

“Politicians put this in the too hard basic, but this cuts across party boundaries.

“Next year literally no one under the age of 50 would have voted in that first referendum.

“It’s an easy, free win.”

Results of the national survey on Australian attitudes towards daylight saving will be published in coming months.