2009 Western Australian daylight saving referendum

Various states and territories in Australia adopted daylight saving time between 1968 and 1971, but Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia did not do so.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/articles/2006/08/22/1156012541811.html |title=Timely shift unlikely to see the light of day |last=Macey |first=Richard |accessdate = 4 March 2019 |date=23 August 2006 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald}} In Western Australia, three referendums were held in 1975, 1984 and 1992 on the issue, with daylight saving being rejected each time.{{cite web|url=http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/referendum_details/|title=Referendum Details|author=Western Australian Electoral Commission|date=29 January 2009|accessdate=17 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013064636/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/referendum_details/|archive-date=13 October 2009|url-status=dead}}{{cite news| url = http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/wa-rejects-daylight-saving-after-vote-20090516-b6qp.html | title = WA rejects daylight saving after vote | accessdate = 10 December 2009 | date = 16 May 2009 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald}}

On 25 October 2006, two members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, former Labor minister turned independent member John D'Orazio and Liberal leader Matt Birney, introduced a private members' bill for a three-year trial of daylight saving to begin in December 2006.{{cite hansard |title=Legislative Assembly: Wednesday, 25 October 2006 |url=http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/E50CD981240F0D6BC825761800195256/$file/A37%20S1%2020061025%20All.pdf |house=Western Australian Legislative Assembly |date=25 October 2006 |pages=7608, 7646–7652}}{{cite news| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/daylight-savings-bill-introduced-today/story-e6frfkxi-1111112407937 | title = Daylight savings Bill introduced today | accessdate = 7 December 2009 | date = 24 October 2006 | work = The Australian}} The Labor government of Western Australia backed the trial and both main parties agreed to hold a free vote on the issue.{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,20637822-5005962,00.html | title = Parties back WA daylight saving trial | accessdate = 7 December 2009 | date = 24 October 2006 | work = The Advertiser }} {{Dead link|date=August 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot|fix-attempted=yes}} Farming groups quickly came out against the move, along with the mining lobby, but the move was backed by business groups.{{cite news| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/west-to-clock-on-for-daylight-saving-after-carpenter-backs-trial/story-e6frg6pf-1111112412837 | title = West to clock on for daylight saving after Carpenter backs trial | accessdate = 7 December 2009 | date = 25 October 2006 | work = The Australian | first=Amanda | last=O'Brien}} The bill was approved by the lower house 37-14{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,20700024-2761,00.html | title = Daylight saving win gets closer | accessdate = 7 December 2009 | date = 4 November 2006 | work = Sunday Times | first=Joe | last=Spagnolo}} and then by the upper house 21–10, enabling the trial to start from 3 December.{{cite news| url = http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,20795690-2761,00.html | title = December 3 for daylight saving | accessdate = 7 December 2009 | date = 21 December 2006 | work = Sunday Times | first=Joe | last=Spagnolo}}

During 2007 there was growing opposition to daylight saving time with some in the National Party calling for people to ignore the trial.{{cite news| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/07/1998248.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071024151347/http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/07/1998248.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 24 October 2007 | title = National Party: Ignore daylight saving | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | date = 7 August 2007 | work = ABC News Online}} In October 2007 the Liberal Party proposed a bill to bring the referendum forward to early 2008 because of the backlash against daylight saving,{{cite news| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/24/2068368.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071030071726/http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/24/2068368.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 30 October 2007 | title = Daylight saving has Libs concerned about voter backlash: Nationals | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | date = 24 October 2007 | work = ABC News Online}} and a petition was signed by 66,000 people supporting holding the referendum in 2008.{{cite news |url=https://www.news.com.au/news/we-want-daylight-saving/news-story/4c17853828d62c019b2f35dbc8bde0bb |title=WA business community backs daylight saving |last=Turnor |first=Robyn |accessdate=4 March 2019 |date=21 October 2009 |work=PerthNow |archive-date=6 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043239/https://www.news.com.au/news/we-want-daylight-saving/news-story/4c17853828d62c019b2f35dbc8bde0bb |url-status=dead }} However this was not successful and the referendum was called for 16 May 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.news.com.au/news/vote-set-for-daylight-saving/news-story/abf1861300e48570688e00ad0b53e102 |title=WA to vote on daylight saving in May |accessdate=4 March 2019 |date=21 October 2009 |work=news.com.au |archive-date=6 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043205/https://www.news.com.au/news/vote-set-for-daylight-saving/news-story/abf1861300e48570688e00ad0b53e102 |url-status=dead }}

The question voted on in the referendum was:

Are you in favour of daylight saving being introduced in Western Australia by standard time in the State being advanced one hour from the last Sunday in October 2009 until the last Sunday in March 2010 and in similar fashion for each following year?{{cite web|url=http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/2009_Daylight_Saving_Referendum/|title=2009 Daylight Saving Referendum|author=Western Australian Electoral Commission|date=10 June 2009|accessdate=10 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030023600/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/2009_Daylight_Saving_Referendum/|archive-date=30 October 2009|url-status=dead}}

Business groups were among the main supporters of daylight saving time and financed the 'yes' campaign.{{cite news| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/16/2572628.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090518091555/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/16/2572628.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 18 May 2009 | title = WA voters reject daylight saving | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | date = 16 May 2009 | work = ABC News Online}} The 'yes' campaign argued that it would make dealing with businesses from the east of Australia easier during the summer as it would reduce the time difference. They also put the case that with daylight saving time, families would be able to spend more time together outdoors after work while it was still light.{{cite web | url = http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/2009_Daylight_Saving_Referendum/referendum_arguments.php | title = 2009 Daylight Saving Referendum Arguments | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | publisher = Western Australian Electoral Commission | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090710214311/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/2009_Daylight_Saving_Referendum/referendum_arguments.php | archive-date = 10 July 2009 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}

Opposition was strongest in rural areas of Western Australia with farmers arguing that it caused problems for them. Opponents argued that daylight saving led to more deaths on the roads and that it was inconvenient for families.{{cite news|url=http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2009/05/16/Daylight_saving_referendum_in_WA_332595.html |title=Daylight saving referendum in WA |accessdate=8 December 2009 |date=16 May 2009 |work=BigPond News |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519190721/http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2009/05/16/Daylight_saving_referendum_in_WA_332595.html |archivedate=19 May 2009 }} With daylight saving they also said that electricity consumption was increased, damaging the environment.

Campaigning was intense during the week before the poll. On 11 May, the WA Farmers Federation claimed the Electoral Commission was biased as, while voters were instructed to write the words "Yes" or "No" in the box, a tick would be accepted as a yes, while a cross would be marked as an invalid vote.{{cite news |url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/furore-over-referendum-tick/story-0-1225711569398|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120418222253/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/furore-over-referendum-tick/story-0-1225711569398|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2012|title=Daylight mockery: tick means Yes, cross means Invalid Vote|work=PerthNow (Sunday Times) |date=11 May 2009 |accessdate=10 December 2009}} On 13 May, Kalgoorlie independent MP John Bowler, who was a daylight saving supporter, pledged that if the referendum was passed, he would move a private member's bill to exclude March from the period. However, supporters labelled this a stunt, as there was no guarantee the bill would pass Parliament.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/14/2570462.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206233013/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/14/2570462.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 December 2010|title=Daylight saving should end in February: Bowler|work=ABC News Online|date=14 May 2009|accessdate=10 December 2009}}{{cite news|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/shorten-daylight-saving-bowler-20090514-b3x2.html|title=Shorten daylight saving: Bowler|work=WAtoday|date=14 May 2009|accessdate=19 December 2009}}

Opinion polls gave no clear indication as to the eventual result. While The West Australian tipped a 53% 'no' vote, The Sunday Times, which conducted an online poll via its PerthNow portal, tipped a 53% 'yes' vote.{{cite news| url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/sun-sets-on-daylight-saving-debate/story-e6frf7jx-1225712963988 | title = Sun sets on Western Australia's daylight saving debate | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | date = 16 May 2009 | work = Herald Sun}}{{cite news|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/daylight-saving-poll-tips-yes/story-0-1225712015789|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120418222305/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/daylight-saving-poll-tips-yes/story-0-1225712015789|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2012|title=PerthNow poll tips Yes vote as historic referendum nears|work=PerthNow (Sunday Times)|date=13 May 2009|accessdate=10 December 2009}} The Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett did not declare which way he would vote until the day of the referendum, when he said that he had voted yes, but that a no vote was the most likely outcome of the referendum.

The referendum proposition was rejected, with 54.56% voting no, as against 45.44% who voted yes.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2009/daylightsaving/results-tables.htm|title=2009 WA Daylight Saving Referendum|last=Green|first=Antony|authorlink=Antony Green|publisher=ABC|date=11 June 2009|accessdate=10 December 2009}}

It was compulsory to vote at the referendum, and 1,148,851 voters, representing 85.64% of enrolled voters, turned out to cast a vote. Non-voters faced a fine of $20 to $50.{{cite news| url = http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/daylight-saving-nets-622000-in-fines-20090828-f1zu.html | title = Daylight saving nets $622,000 in fines | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | date = 28 August 2009 | work = WAtoday}}

The 'no' vote was strongest in regional and rural areas as well as the outer suburbs of Perth.{{cite news| url = http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/daylight-saving-dead-and-buried-in-wa-20090517-b6xs.html | title = Daylight saving 'dead and buried' in WA | accessdate = 8 December 2009 | date = 17 May 2009 | work = Brisbane Times}} The 'no' vote had a majority in 35 of the state's 59 electorates, including all of the non-metropolitan electorates ranging from 85.36% in Wagin to 55.91% in Birney's former electorate of Kalgoorlie, but also including 18 of metropolitan Perth's 42 electorates. The 'yes' vote achieved a majority in 24 electorates, all but two of which were in the North Metropolitan and South Metropolitan regions. The electorates of Ocean Reef (63.01%), Perth (59.96%), Joondalup (59.20%), Hillarys (58.33%) and Kingsley (56.66%) recorded the highest 'yes' votes.

Following the fourth rejection of daylight saving time in a referendum the issue was described as being dead for a generation, with Premier Colin Barnett saying that "it should not be considered for another 20 years."{{cite news|url=http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/WACabinetMinistersSearch.aspx?ItemId=131903&minister=Barnett&admin=Barnett&page=2|title=Media response – Daylight Saving Referendum result (Interview with Western Suburbs Weekly)|first=Colin|last=Barnett|authorlink=Colin Barnett|publisher=Government of Western Australia|date=18 May 2009|accessdate=10 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226091314/http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/WACabinetMinistersSearch.aspx?ItemId=131903&minister=Barnett&admin=Barnett&page=2|archive-date=26 February 2012|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090710214311/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/2009_Daylight_Saving_Referendum/referendum_arguments.php 2009 Daylight Saving Referendum Arguments]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091030023600/http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_referendums/2009_Daylight_Saving_Referendum/ Results by district]

{{Western Australian elections}}

2009

Category:2009 elections in Australia

Category:2009 referendums

Category:Daylight saving time in Australia

Category:2000s in Western Australia

Category:2009 in Australian law

Category:May 2009 in Australia