Why North Queenslanders don’t want daylight saving

A push by South East Queenslanders to introduce daylight saving has been labelled “ridiculous” by those living in the state’s north.

A push by South East Queenslanders to introduce daylight saving has been labelled “ridiculous” by those living in the state’s Far North and the west.

Despite half of those living in the South East in favour of daylight saving, it is hugely unpopular in the rest of Queensland, supported by just 25 per cent of those residents.

Artist and grazier Heather Moore, who lives on Strathfield Station in far western Queensland, said the sun already went down almost an hour later there, than in the South East.

Heather Moore from Strathfield Station in the states northwest.

She said it would have a “terrible” effect on families, with graziers working to daylight hours and children in school forced to follow the clock.

“Dinner is at 8pm at night and if we have (daylight saving), it would be 9pm at night,” said Ms Moore, who lives 125km south-west of Julia Creek.

“When you have children at school, you’ve got to live by the clock and they have to get up an extra hour earlier, in the dark… and then they miss out on having diner with their fathers as their fathers are not home.”

Mt Isa council worker Kim Coghlan said the far north west Queensland town faced “hot as hell” temperatures already without increasing the warm daylight hours after people finished work and school.

Fellow Mt Isa resident Dan Ballard agreed and said winding the clocks forward meant workers would have a limited chance to socialist or exercise outside because of the “prohibitive high” afternoon temperatures.

He added that it would also mean parents were trying to put children to bed while the sun was “still burning brightly outside”.

Dan Ballard from Mt Isa

Jayne Gallagher from Rossville said she recently went to New South Wales and the time difference was confusing, adding, “why mess with time?”.

Jayne Gallagher from Rossville.

Townsville resident Heather White said it would be no great benefit to the town and instead suggested it would be better in winter when there were fewer daylight house.

Leanne Cook from Cairns children found it very hard to adjust to going to bed while it was still light.

Leanne Cook, from Cairns.

Keith Stokes from Townsville said he grew up with daylight saving in Victoria and he thought it mucked up the day and he “couldn’t see the benefits”.

Keith Stokes from Cairns.

Originally published as Why North Queenslanders don’t want daylight saving