As southerners prepare to wind clocks ahead, most Queenslanders want the same

The news

Two-thirds of Queenslanders would support the introduction of daylight saving, what’s described as the first comprehensive national survey on the issue has found.

Nationwide support sits at 80 per cent, and is highest in the ACT and southern states where it is observed – where clocks will get their annual hour wind-ahead from 2am on Sunday.

Early detail from new national daylight saving research suggests strong support in the Sunshine State – even with two timezones. Political will is a different story.Credit: Getty

In Queensland, the survey suggests 66 per cent of residents would support doing the same. Fellow daylight saving-free state Western Australia had the lowest support at 64 per cent.

The recent survey is part of yet-to-be-published research from University of Queensland human geography associate professor Thomas Sigler – who supports the move on a personal level.

Why it matters

With the curious global crown of the earliest major city summer sunrises, debate about the issue regularly repeats in Brisbane, the southern Gold Coast and south-east Queensland more broadly.

While the state is the most decentralised in the nation, this corner is where a growing portion of its growing population live – and is also the area most affected by the current timezones.

Despite this, there has been little political push among the state’s major party leaders to pursue the issue since its short-lived existence ended after the 1992 referendum.

As such, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory remain the only Australian jurisdictions without it.

What they said

Sigler said the new work, based on a survey funded by WA-based advocate Wilson Tucker but carried out by a third party for the UQ research, built on his bewilderment around a lack of action.

“There is such a clear majority of support … but a lack of political will,” he said.

The representative survey had a sample size of more than 1000 and was carried out this month. It found support was highest in south-east Queensland.

But a total of 68 per cent also backed a “split” solution where the state moved to two timezones or just the south-east corner took-up daylight saving – such as in western NSW or eastern WA.

Such changes, or a permanent east coast time-shift, would help address the “global extremes” seen in Queensland, but less acutely felt outside the south-east where community and political support is lower.

Perspectives

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last year said her government was not looking at the issue, but was open to hearing the thoughts of councils.

Speaking in Cairns on Wednesday, she dismissed the idea of split timezones, declaring: “I believe in one Queensland, not a divided Queensland”.

Those comments echoed LNP Opposition Leader David Crisafulli’s words from last year, after 2022’s push for the change by Brisbane Lord Mayor and fellow party member Adrian Schrinner.

What you need to know

Sunrise and sunset happen in the Queensland capital up to an hour earlier than Mount Isa in the north-west, with Cairns residents’ clocks up to 30 minutes ahead.

Along with economic and lifestyle arguments for daylight saving, which runs annually between the first Sundays of October and April, there is evidence of increased social benefits, lowered crime and less wildlife killed by cars.

However, some studies have also warned of long-term health problems linked to changing timezones.

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