REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Tuesday October 30, 2001

NEW numberplates provoked a storm of outrage.

Queensland’s plates had previously declared it was “the Sunshine State” but Premier Peter Beattie had other ideas.

Mr Beattie’s plan to introduce “Smart State” numberplates was laughed at over the border, with southerners saying Queensland was already lagging behind by refusing to adopt daylight saving.

Southerners said Mr Beattie was stuck in the Dark Ages by not supporting daylight saving.

Combined Chamber of Commerce president John Witheriff said staff at his Southport law firm were the butt of many jokes at a teleconference with NSW colleagues the day following the announcement.

“They were all saying, ‘So, is being one hour behind enough for you up there in the Smart State’?” Mr Witheriff said. “They wanted to know if we could slow down any further, another few hours perhaps, or a year.

“They were giving us a hard time about it. It was really quite embarrassing.”

Commerce Queensland regional manager Trevor Coombs said the Premier was using a voluntary daylight saving proposal as a political tactic.

“Mr Beattie is using very astute political tactics on this issue,” said Mr Coombs. “He has essentially dubbed this a trial of daylight saving in the southeast.

“But, if local businesses don’t take up the option for legal reasons or sheer confusion, he could simply turn around and say there is not enough support for daylight saving on the Coast.”