DST in Australia

Latest revision as of 15:59, 30 January 2012

South East QLD has a regular recurring debate as to the viability of implementing Daylight Saving Time, to bring the area "into line" with the southern states.

We here at Thorx think this is pretty bunk, and here is why, and maybe some alternatives.

[edit] Should QLD get the DST

• The economy.

That's about it for the 'pro-DST' argument.

• It's what I'm used to

This is from southerners who move north and think it's normal.

[edit] Why QLD should continue to be clean of the DST

• The economy copes

Yes, we cope with timezone changes to Adelaide, Darwin, Perth. We also cope with timezone changes to trading partners in NZ, Japan, China, USA, etc. Additionally, any multinational company deals with timezone issues internally anyway. "The economy", as far as reasons go, is pretty poor going.

• Get used to life without

Humans are adaptable. Arguably the most adaptable species on the planet. So, get to it: adapt.

Seriously though, the DST exists in more temperate (a word I use here to mean "colder") climates so as to shift the warm afternoon sunshine and twilight into the post-work hours, and have a nicer evening. The further tropical you go, the LESS inclined you are to want to have the sweltering hot blistering afternoon sun exacerbated. Climactically, it's bunk.

Northern NSW is amongst some of the most tropical area in the world to implement the DST - for exactly the above reasons. Arizona in the USA is on a similar latitude to Sydney, and abolished the DST due to it's unbearable effect on the social/weather dynamic.

[edit] Best solution

To be fair to local business, the economy does impact them more. At all levels, how much time is spent translating timezones in peoples heads anyway?

You may have noticed that we live in the 21st century. We have pro-worker laws and flexible working hours precisely so workers can adjust their hours if need be to maximise their own lifestyle/family/pleasure/etc needs. Our habits need not be enforced by the strict rule of the clock. If you want a sunnier evening, then wake up earlier, and get to work earlier!

Abolish the DST and work according to your own needs!

[edit] Alternative compromise

If the DST must exist in the cold south, then we should recognise that the timezone border DOES affect people and business. So sensibly, the border between the 'has' and the 'has nots' should be along lines of minimal population density. (and not nescessarily state boundaries which are crude and blunt)

A look at Australia's east-coast density shows a high density from Brisbane down over the border. In fact, roughly all the way from Bundaberg in the north, down to Grafton, in northern NSW.

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/drs/indicator/256/index.html

Perhaps the most sensible thing then would be to exclude the northernmost corner of NSW (New England) from the DST, to bring it into line with QLD - or even more severely - an east-west line between port Augusta and Woolongong :)

Has nobody else seriously thought of this?

[edit] What about +1030 yearlong?

I believe this should be rejected out of hand. A half-hour offset with the rest of the world is asking for confusion in every aspect of life. (and that Central Standard Time should get on board with this too)

Integer offsets from UTC only, please.

[edit] Further readings

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/11/110311-daylight-savings-2011-time-savings-when-does-spring-forward-nation/
• http://www.standardtime.com/ "If we are saving energy let's go year round with Daylight Saving Time. If we are not saving energy let's drop Daylight Saving Time!"
• http://www.phrenopolis.com/custard/index.php - Citizens Using Standard Time And Real Daylight.

Frankly, I think if Daylight Saving Time were talked about in terms of what it actually accomplishes - "Hey, let's all get up an hour earlier every day all summer long!" - it would have a lot less popular support than it currently does.