Pollyana

I think I'll institute a Post Of The Day Award, you can have first prize today

JAJ

I don't mean to sound flippant about this (but probably will do so regardless) but really the onus is on the Brisbane and SE Queensland community to stop hand-wringing about government inaction and start making a collective effort to start working different hours during the summer period (eg 1 Nov to end February). In other words start and finish earlier to make maximum use of the daylight available. In many U.S. and Canadian communities they do just that.

Obviously it's hard for one person to buck the trend but a co-ordinated community effort could work well. Starting with the most flexible employers (and those with closer ties to NSW/Vic) and working out from there.

In fact if people could do this more widely, the whole question of changing the clocks would become irrelevant.

Part of the problem is that at 27S Brisbane simply doesn't get a lot of daylight in the summer compared to places further south. It obviously gets more in winter but to those who work all day, this is no real advantage. It's a price to pay for living in the subtropics.

Incidentally, in December and January, sunset occurs around the same time in Brisbane and Cairns, because the latter is so far to the west.

Swerv-o

I'm with you Buzzy. Looking forward to some nice longer evenings when the clocks change...

S

Vash the Stampede

Here in the UK, we're slowing moving into that time of the year when it becomes pitch black at 17:00. Once it arrives, we won't see any sunshine at the latter end of the day until some time in February. That's something you don't get in Australia, even without daylight saving.

Well said!

Speaking as a West Australian, daylight saving irritates me. Why in hell would I want to experience blazing sunshine at 20:00?

For those who say "But I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark"... well, you knew that would be the case when you took the job. And if you were still in the UK, you'd be commuting in darkness for several months every year despite daylight saving, so be grateful that it's not like that in Australia.

If a state has voted against daylight saving, that's their prerogative. To call people "hicks" just because they don't want daylight saving, is just petty narrow-mindedness; urban parochialism of the most pathetic sort.

Lordhorrace

But that's just the point the State hasn't been given the chance to vote on it this time around. What the hell happened to democracy? - The minority "Hicks" - oops Sorry Vash - have won and Anna Bligh will not ever discuss daylight savings again whilst she is in power??????????

Pollyana

Biggest impediment to us changing our working hours thoughm as I'm sure you'd recognise is that for us minions we have to work when we are told to.Even with a certain amount of flexitime the office has to be covered till at least 5pm every day Mon-Fri, to provide a service to the public. And as yours truly is on the shift till 5pm four days out of five..........

And as lordhorrace says - what's happened to democracy? Even the TV just gave figures of 75% in favour of DST - but no-one is to be allowed to vote on it. Iron Lady Anna Thatcher (oops, that should say Bligh) has spoken.....

Pollyana

Ahah! Todays classic reason, courtesy of the Courier Mail comments column, for not having daylight saving....if there is an extra hour in the day we will all run out of water quicker ,

JAJ

Obviously I can't comment in detail without knowing what business you're in, but I really don't get the fixation everyone has with 5pm. What's wrong with opening at 8am and closing at 4pm during the summer months?

Vim Fuego

One more hour drinking time too ...

cresta57

WHAT! your not seriously suggesting getting up an hour earlier so you can have an extra hour at home in the afternoon sun are you?
Surely it's easier to change the time zones than the alarm clock
Now where's the tongue in cheek smiley?

BadgeIsBack

I get up early anyhow now, but from next year 2008, Mebourne gets an extra month of DST (and an extra week in April). It got dark at 6.45 pm (more?) today, that will be 7.45 this time next year with another 3 months to go until the solstice....

BadgeIsBack

I fully get the get up early argument, and it works for me so I get to see more of my kids, but of course, some people like to enjoy a day after work not before......perfectly valid.

If I lived in QLD, though, I would bite the bullet and rise early.

I do appreciate the daylight, when we first start getting longer days in August I often walk down the back and watch the sun go down when I get back from work.

BadgeIsBack

It seems that the light summers do make up for the dark winters in the UK.

Maybe Brissy is mind numbingly neither here nor there all year.

Pollyana

Govt Dept, and we are instructed from On High that there will be someone there to answer the phone until 5pm. Those are "established Queensland business hours" (yawn) and unfortunately that goes with the job. There have been rare occasions when we have all left 30 minutes early - leaving party, whatever, and the resultant complaints reverberate for weeks.
The Bloke works in retail and I can't see them changing the store opening hours as they are an "established Queensland family firm" (yaaawwwwn!). Not saying every company is like it, but.....
It really is like suggesting to the subjects of Queen Victoria that it is OK to finish work early occasionally - no offence Jeremy, but a lot of the attitudes you don't realise until you live - and work - amongst them.

And on a purely selfish level - I've tried getting up earlier and going to bed earlier - it's not me, I'm an owl not a lark. The amount of banned posters and slapped wrists would rocket if I had to be up and about any earlier than I am now

Pollyana

Maybe Brissy is just mind numbing?

(Polly dives for cover!)