However , in August this year , a San Jose ( USA ) legislator ’ s efforts to abandon DST was shut down by the Senate , with legislators worried about the impact the change could have on the tourism industry and how out of sync the state of California would be .
Much like Queensland , largely out of sync and hampering tourism dollars , some would argue .
The tradition of springing an hour forward every year was first implemented 1916 in Germany during the First World War in order to conserve energy and advance factory production . It was soon after observed by most of Europe as well as all Australian states .
“ Community sports clubs ’ membership would go up as people realised they had more time after work to join a team and get in a game ,” Dulleck said . “ Playing sport or an extra hour on the beach makes us happier as well as healthier and happy people are more productive . Healthy ones save the public health system .
Professor Dulleck urged Queenslanders to not rule out DST for the state when there are indirect economic benefits to be considered by the decision makers .
“ Perhaps it ’ s time we trialed daylight saving for Queensland so we could start quantifying the potential economic benefits ,” he said .
Today , daylight saving in Australia is a matter for the individual state or territory . The country is currently divided into three time zones , which becomes five during the daylight saving period when New South Wales , the Australian Capital Territory , Victoria , Tasmania and South Australia leap their clocks forward in October every year .
In Queensland , the clocks go nowhere , year round .
The sunshine state voted to abandoned daylight saving time in 1972 , but has similar to Western Australia , observed DST over the past 40 years from time to time on trial bases .
Easier said than done ?
Despite a recent petition signed by more than 21,000 people , Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has ruled out conducting a formal poll on the issue of DST . However , before last year ’ s election , The Queensland Greens proposed the state to undertake a two-year trial followed by a referendum , citing recreational activity and children ’ s health as incentives .
“ By introducing more daylight hours after school we will be giving the children of Queensland a much greater opportunity for recreation and to play and socialise , which we know is so important for their development and their good health ,” Greens ’ Moggill candidate Charles Worringham said .
Economist and Associate Professor Uwe Dulleck of the Queensland University of Technology has shone some light on the vexed debate , suggesting - much like Downing and Mona - that adopting daylight saving time would keep the economic stimulus going in retail industries and benefit the sports industry in particular .
I ’ d love to hear your feedback .
22 The Golf Marketing Professionals www . golfindustrycentral . com . au
Could the implementation of Daylight Saving Time in Queensland be a saving grace for our industry ?