REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Tuesday, October 23, 2001

GOLD Coast businesses were given the go-ahead to introduce their own daylight saving time.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said he would support businesses that wanted to change to eastern summer time because of problems communicating with interstate clients.

Mr Beattie ruled out officially establishing daylight saving because of an election commitment not to introduce it during this term of government.

However, he said a voluntary system could be an answer that did not disadvantage other regions. “I want one Queensland, I don’t want to divide the state,” he said. “This may be the solution.” At an emergency meeting the previous day, leaders of the Coast’s 13 chambers of commerce voted unanimously for the city to go it alone on daylight saving.

Gold Coast Combined Chamber of Commerce president John Witheriff said a major groundswell of support for daylight saving had built up.

“Mr Beattie will not be able to keep his head stuck in the sand for much longer,” said Mr Witheriff.

“This is an issue that will not go away. It is not being driven by one or two business leaders; it is a grassroots groundswell of support for the introduction of daylight saving because it is something that is impacting on everybody’s life down here.”

Robina Chamber of Commerce president Lionel Barden predicted the Government would be forced to introduce daylight saving in southeast Queensland within two years as more Gold Coast businesses put their clocks forward.