Queensland does NOT have Daylight savings, as at 2009.

Queensland did adopt daylight saving time in 1971, but abandoned it again in 1972.

It was then reintroduced again in 1989 but abandoned after three years following a referendum on 22nd Feb 1992, with a 54.50% vote against it.

A large part of South East Queensland would prefer to have Daylight Saving, but the Northern parts of the State would not get as much benefit, and at the present time, there are insufficient numbers in the South East that are voting FOR daylight saving, to counter those in the North and the West of the State, who do not want it.

There is now a movement to try to split Queensland into two time zones

• www.daylightsavingseq.com.au

How would Daylight Savings affect you ?

If you live in Brisbane:

The sunrise and sunset times on the middle day of each month are shown:

• October
  • Sunrise: 5:12 am – this would change to 6:16 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 5:56 pm – this would change to 6:56 pm with daylight saving
• November
  • Sunrise: 4:49 am – this would change to 5:49 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:17 pm – this would change to 7:17 pm with daylight saving
• December
  • Sunrise: 4:47 am – this would change to 5:47 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:39 pm – this would change to 7:39 pm with daylight saving
• January
  • Sunrise: 5:06 am – this would change to 6:06 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:48 pm – this would change to 7:48 pm with daylight saving
• February
  • Sunrise: 5:30 am – this would change to 6:30 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:34 pm – this would change to 7:34 pm with daylight saving
• March
  • Sunrise: 5:48 am – this would change to 6:48 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:05 pm – this would change to 7:05 pm with daylight saving

If you live in Cairns:

The sunrise and sunset times on the middle day of each month are shown:

• October
  • Sunrise: 5:49 am – this would change to 6:49 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:17 pm – this would change to 7:17 pm with daylight saving
• November
  • Sunrise: 5:35 am – this would change to 6:35 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:29 pm – this would change to 7:29 pm with daylight saving
• December
  • Sunrise: 5:38 am – this would change to 6:38 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:46 pm – this would change to 7:46 pm with daylight saving
• January
  • Sunrise: 5:56 am – this would change to 6:56 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:57 pm – this would change to 7:57 pm with daylight saving
• February
  • Sunrise: 6:11 am – this would change to 7:11 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:51 pm – this would change to 7:51 pm with daylight saving
• March
  • Sunrise: 6:20 am – this would change to 7:20 am with daylight saving
  • Sunset: 6:32 pm – this would change to 7:32 pm with daylight saving

To try to understand why those in the North are not in favour as much, we should look at this:

In December, down in Brisbane, the Sun rises at 4:47 am but many would like this to become 5:47 am with daylight saving.
However, at the same time in Cairns it already rises at 5:38 am.

The people from Cairns could easily say, “if that is what time you want the sun to rise in Queensland, then move up to Cairns“, as that is what time the sun rises in that part of Queensland.

From that, we can now see the logic behind a split time zone for Queensland.

However, many people in the South East, are more interested in the later bright evenings, so how does that compare ?

In December, down in Brisbane, the Sunsets at 6:39 pm but many would like this to become 7:39 pm with daylight saving.
In Cairns, there is actually little difference as the Sun sets at at 6:46 pm.  Daylight saving in Cairns would result in the Sun setting at 7:46 pm.

So Cairns would still gain that same extra hour of light in the evenings, but would not get a sunrise until 6:38 am as a consequence, whilt those in Brisbane would still get a sunrise at 5:47 am.

The more I look at it, the more a split zone would appeal to me.

Links:

• http://www.ds4seq.org.au – The Daylight Saving for South East Queensland Party (DS4SEQ) is a state political party and was registered with the Electoral Commission of Queensland in December 2008
• http://www.daylightsavingseq.com.au Pro Daylight saving
• http://www.nodaylightsavingqld.com Anti Daylight saving