An emotional issue: In the end there was a compromise because of the electricity saving and daylight saving was increased by three weeks at the beginning and by one week at the end of the original daylight saving period. If that is the case, and if that could be shown to be the case in Western Australia, it is the sort of thing that we need to know. Over the next two years we can gauge these things and assess them. Instead of being emotional about daylight saving, perhaps we can look at the facts. How does it help business? Does it save money? Are more people employed? I do not know the answers. Does it save energy? If it does, in the current climate, in which we are concerned about climate change and the environment, we need to know these things.
Hard data needed: I hope that government agencies will monitor the effects of daylight saving and will let us know the results. If the situation that applies in the US applies to Western Australia, it is a very good reason for us to have daylight saving. If we use more energy and electricity, that is a good reason not to have it. We do not know that. The daylight saving trial will come up with a lot of facts and statistics that will help the community make a sensible decision on daylight saving. We should not be listening to all this emotional nonsense that we hear over and over again. Let us throw that challenge up to the government and see whether the relevant agencies can come up with some good, hard data, which is what the agencies in the US did when Congress debated daylight saving. People will then be able to decide whether they support or do not support daylight saving.
Reference: Legislative Assembly of Western Australia Hansard for 16/05/2007.