Daylight Savings - All In Or All Out
As the brighter, earlier mornings of summer are upon Queensland, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) warns against the introduction of a split time zone in Queensland to appease advocates of daylight saving in the State.
CCIQ has previously and extensively surveyed the Queensland business community on daylight savings, canvassing more than 2300 businesses across a range of industries from both South East and regional Queensland.
Business views confirm that the majority of Queensland businesses support the introduction of daylight saving but not at the cost of a split time zone across the state.
Although three in five businesses state-wide support the implementation of daylight saving for Queensland, this support falls to only one in three businesses if daylight saving is introduced in South East Queensland (SEQ) only.
The adoption of two time zones simply shifts the cost impacts of not having daylight savings from SEQ to Regional Queensland but at the same time significantly exacerbates the financial impact of this issue.
Many Queensland businesses have indicated that the absence of daylight saving in Queensland has had an impact on their business through increased hours of operation, increased costs, reduced sales and lower employee productivity. However feedback identifies the negative financial impacts would be significantly heightened if Queensland’s time zone was split.
These results indicate that Queensland needs to implement daylight savings comprehensively across the state or not at all as the evidence overwhelmingly suggests a split time zone would have an overall detrimental effect on the Queensland economy.
Click here to see a copy of the CCIQ survey results.
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Comments
Hi Phil,
Thanks for your comment. You raise an interesting case regarding South Australia’s Central Daylight Saving time that has been overlooked in the past. However, the overwhelming view of CCIQ’s members consistently supports a uniform approach to daylight saving in Queensland – that is, either the whole state embraces it or not. CCIQ will however continue to monitor the views of its members on this issue in the aim of achieving a consistent and positive outcome for business.
Posted by CCIQ Advocacy team, 25/02/2013 2:46pm (3 months ago)
Dear CCIQ, Since your survey took place our respondents and locals here in Far North QLD have recognised that if Southeast QLD were to observe Australian Eastern Daylight Time, then moving us (the rest of QLD) ahead by 30 minutes to South Australia's Central Daylight Time would mean (1) SE QLD economy will stimulate to the tune of billions (2) Our economic regions throughout rural and regional Queensland will have massive economic gains with populations in NSW, Vic, ACT, Tas & SA that will stimulus-wise far outperform any time differences with SE Queensland. (3) It will serve as part of the national economic interest to then see Australia's summers go from 5 time zones down to 4. (5) All QLD businesses will operate in a more time-efficient way, meaning if we say time, we can save on energy costs, especially given QLD's recent 21% hike in power costs. We said no to AEDT in rural & regional QLD but we are yet to trial Australian Central Daylight Time. Southeast QLD can have their Australian Eastern Daylight Time. Regards, Phil McCarroll, Daylight Times Editor in Chief, Cairns
Posted by Phil McCarroll - Daylight Times Editor in Chief, 23/02/2013 11:40pm (3 months ago)
Hi Sharon, Thank you for your comments. Here at CCIQ we love your passion for the issue. Yes these results relate to 2010 however the Chamber stands by the 'All In or All Out' conclusion. This survey was the most comprehensive of any ever conducted on business relating to daylight savings. You may not agree with the findings but nevertheless it is an accurate aggregate Statewide snapshot of where business stands on the issue. CCIQ notes the likelihood of consensus is minimal however we continue to respect the views of all of our members. Happy to discuss should you wish (07) 3842 2244.
Posted by Nick Behrens, CCIQ General Manager - Advocacy , 05/10/2012 3:23pm (8 months ago)
The true solution is to advance AEST by 30 minutes on 7 October 2013, have all Eastern States and ACT forget about Daylight Saving FOREVER and thus reduce Australia to 3 time zones year round. In the current business climate I cannot afford to invest DOLLARS in stock that sits on shelves 'JUST IN CASE' so I order from southern states and it flies in overnight. No time lost by my clients - even if they call me at 4.59pm. As from MONDAY there could be a 24 hour delay if the request is received after 3.59pm Qld time. If we can change Public Holidays to suit - 'lessen disruptions to business and industry resulting from a number of public holidays or long weekends falling in quick succession' according to the fact sheet released by Qld Govt Dept of E & T earlier this year, why can't the Governments of the Eastern States change AEST to give me back10 trading hours each week every summer. All it would take is a stroke of the pen. Ask Steve Toms the new cross-border commissioner appointed by the NSW Government.
Posted by Graeme Brittenden, 05/10/2012 10:15am (8 months ago)
this survery was done more than 2 years ago and therefore of little relevance.
we must have daylight savings in seq and at some time in the past, businesses were considering a move to daylight savings time of their own accord. i would like to see businesses doing so.
Posted by sharon harris, 04/10/2012 7:09pm (8 months ago)
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