By Melissa Coleman
The clocks ticked over a whole hour in New South Wales on Sunday 2 October as daylight saving kicked in.
As a result of the change, Western Australia will now be three hours behind NSW and Victoria, while Queensland will be one hour behind.
Most electronic devices such as mobile phones and smart watches automatically update for daylight saving, however manual clocks and some watches still need to be wound forward an hour.
With Spring days bringing warmer weather in some places, daylight saving allows for an extended period of sunlight.
However, the one-hour time difference has been a consistent problem for those who either live near the NSW border or who have to constantly cross it.
Co-owner of Stannum Hay and Farm Supplies, Mick Griffiths said they are the first property over the Queensland border in NSW.
“We regularly service our Queensland customers; we deliver, or the customer crosses the border to us,” Griffiths said.
The Ruby Creek business owner works on Queensland time because most of his clientele reside over the NSW border or in the Stanthorpe region.
“Daylight saving hours can be confusing so even though we live across the border, we abide by Queensland time.”
“We don’t change any of our clocks,” he said.
Despite daylight saving originally employed in Australia as a way to help save energy costs during WWI, today Australian states and territories decide if they want to observe daylight saving.
The extra hour of time is thought to provide more daylight in the evening as summer approaches.
Griffiths’ logic on the matter stands to reason for a lot of communities so close to the Queensland NSW border.
“If you want an extra hour in the day, why not get up an hour early, then knock off work an hour early, rather than change the clocks.”
“It’s simple,” he said.
Griffiths sentiments are reflected throughout the state of Queensland where daylight saving has not been a regular addition since 1992 when a referendum excluded it.
“We’re one nation; one big island surrounded by water so why segregate us by changing things.”
In Queensland, there has been a long 30-year debate leaving many, especially those living along the Southeast corner of Queensland hot under the collar.
They would like daylight saving to be re-introduced.
Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner has stated that it’s time for another daylight saving trial in Queensland as the majority of the population now have not experienced it.
Year 12 student Tash Brierkley travels from Tenterfield in NSW across the border to high school in Stanthorpe.
She has been crossing the border for her education for the past six years and finds the difference in times from both states ’annoying’.
“It makes the day really long. When daylight savings starts, I don’t get home until 5.30pm and that conflicts with my after school activities, such as dancing.“
“When you travel from NSW into Queensland you gain an hour but on the way home you lose that hour.“
Tash says she thinks that bringing in daylight saving time in Queensland could be beneficial for those living in border communities.
“It takes time to get used to daylight saving time. “
“Every time it comes around it’s a hassle to remember what time it is because sometimes your mobile doesn’t recognise the time change and you have to ask people what the time is,“ she said.
