30 minutes key to success



Thursday 25 October 2012

30 minutes key to success

One man has taken up the fight to introduce Daylight Savings to Queensland, and his years of research have led him to conclude a year-round change would have major benefits.

Allan Clarke says pushing the clocks forward just 30 minutes for the entire year across all eastern states is the way to go, and that regional Queensland, including our local region, is the most suited to the change.

"Their (regional Queensland's) relatively long winter days will minimize morning darkness in winter and their relatively short summer days will not have very late sunsets," Mr Clarke said in his report."

He wrote that most common objection to Queensland adopting the one-hour Eastern Daylight Savings Time was the six-monthly time changes.

"Year round daylight saving would certainly enjoy more support as the biggest objection to daylight saving will be removed by year round daylight saving.

"The benefit (to southern states) of earlier sunsets in the hottest months of January and February and the eradication of the disruptive time changes would more than offset slightly later sunrises in winter."

Read the full report here

Mr Clarke has taken his case to the NSW Cross Border Commissioner, Steve Toms, and Queensland Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey is also being briefed on the concept.

Mr Clarke outlined the benefits for his 30-minute plan, and used the Cairns region as one of his focus areas.

These benefits include enhanced energy efficiency, increased road safety - "extra light in the early evening significantly decreases vehicle occupant and especially pedestrian fatalities," and an improved lifestyle citing the main reason for wanting Daylight Savings "was more light in the evening for lifestyle and exercise..."

He said conducting business between states and with South East Asia would benefit.

"All regions in Australia would fall into one of three permanent time zones and the confusion and inconvenience of the biannual time changes would cease.

"Road, rail and airline schedules within Australia and trade and airlines schedules with Asia would never have to be changed. Changes with Europe and the USA would only occur twice a year instead of six times per year.

"All the eastern states will remain in the same time zone year round. WA will only be two hours behind the eastern states year round. South Australia could still use additional daylight saving in summer. It would then be in the same time zone as the eastern states in summer."

Do you agree with Mr Clarke? Have your say below.