Why Would Two Time Zones Not Work In Queensland? 

Premier Bligh and the National Party would have us believe that two time zones in Queensland would cause untold divisiveness and confusion. They used every opportunity prior to the Government survey to reinforce that view and succeeded in convincing many Queenslanders that this would be the case.

There is however no evidence that divisiveness and confusion occur elsewhere in the world where two time zones are used in one state.

Why would two time zones in one state or province work well in 17 regions in the USA and Canada but not in Queensland?

The state of Tennessee is a good example:-

Tennessee has two time zones with the eastern third in the Eastern time zone and the western third in the Central time zone. Tennessee is 1/16 the size of Queensland with 1 ½ times the population (6 million v 4 million).  

2,2 million people live in the four major cities of Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. The remaining 3,8 million are evenly distributed throughout the state with no sparsely populated regions.

 
The capital Nashville lies approximately 200km west of Chattanooga and Knoxville. The time zone boundary lies immediately adjacent to Chattanooga and 20 km west of Knoxville. There would be thousands of people physically crossing the time zone line on a daily basis on the six lane highways that lie to the west of these cities.

Surely if two time zones were as divisive and confusing as Premier Bligh and the National Party say they would be, the residents of Tennessee would have opted for a single time zone in their relatively small state?

However if Tennessee was in the Eastern time zone the sun would rise and set too late for residents in the west and if Tennessee was in the Central time zone the sun would rise and set too early for residents in the east. This is exactly the same problem that residents of southeast Queensland and northwest Queensland face especially in the summer months. 

Tennessee has decided to use two time zones in order to allow the residents in the east and west of the state to use the hours of daylight that are best suited to the respective regions. There is no divisiveness or confusion despite the fact that the time zone line is drawn through a much more densely populated region than would ever occur in Queensland.

The residents of Tennessee and the other 16 regions in the USA and Canada that have two time zones simply acknowledge and accept the fact that the sun travels from east to west and it is sometimes necessary to have two time zones to accommodate the vastly different times of sunrise and sunset that occur in the eastern and western parts of the region. 

Premier Bligh said on 5 November that two time zones in Queensland “would simply shift the problem at the Coolangatta – Tweed Heads region to somewhere in Queensland”.

That is nonsense.

The problem in Coolangatta is that the majority of residents in that region, like the majority in the rest of SEQ, want daylight saving. The fact that there is a time zone line for no good reason immediately south of them just makes the absence of daylight saving even more frustrating.

A time zone line in Queensland would divide those in the east who want daylight saving from those in the west who do not want daylight saving.

Two time zones in one state work well in other parts of the world if they divide a region in the east from a region in the west in order to allow the residents of the respective regions to utilize the hours of daylight as best suits them.  

Why should Queensland be any different?

Because Anna Bligh says so? 

Why would there be confusion and divisiveness?

Because the National Party says so? 

Stop treating Queenslanders like schoolchildren.

 The blatant misinformation prior to the Government survey was a shameless attempt to mislead Queenslanders about regional daylight saving.
  Trial two time zones so we can experience how it works

INFORMATION? “I am not convinced and I haven't seen any evidence that regional daylight saving could be workable” Deputy Premier Anna Bligh, Courier Mail 2 November 2006  “The National Party does not support introducing daylight saving in any form including splitting Queensland into two time zones” Jeff Seeney, Courier Mail 14 August 2006  “I am not enthusiastic about this. I don't want anybody going out of here saying that I support regional daylight saving, because I am far from that position” Premier Peter Beattie, Courier Mail 28 June 2007  “Peter Beattie's plan to bring in a “daylight savings divide” is just madness” David Gibson, National Party MP for Gympie ABC News 29 June 2007  "Any suggestion of a split time zone in Queensland I think is quite ridiculous” Federal Liberal MP for Groome Ian McFarlane with one eye on the Federal election, ABC News 27 June 2007  "Time zones with winding lines through regional Queensland would not be clearly marked and would cause nothing but confusion.” Federal National MP for Wide Bay Warren Truss also with one eye on the Federal election, Media release 29 June 2007  “Regional daylight saving would create all sorts of problems for residents and businesses” Cooloola Mayor Mick Vernados, ABC News 29 June 2007 “  …….(nothing)……….. “ Bruce Flegg and the seven Liberal MPs despite regional daylight saving being Liberal Party policy “ …….(nothing)………..  “ Information from the Government regarding regional daylight saving (in contrast to the plethora of arguments supporting council amalgamations and the Traveston dam) How did the Government expect Queenslanders to support regional daylight saving if many of them did not know about it or understand it?  They did not!!
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