Is it a 3-year trial of daylight saving?

Yes. The exact dates for the remainder of the daylight saving trial are:

• From 2 a.m. on 26 October 2008 until 3 a.m. summer time (2 a.m. Western Standard Time) on 29 March 2009.

What do I need to do?

• The night before the commencement of daylight saving set your clocks forward one hour


• The night before the conclusion of daylight saving set your clocks back one hour

What happens after three years?

A referendum will be held throughout Western Australia no earlier than 10 May and no later than 13 September 2009, asking the question:

• "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?"

If there are more ‘Yes’ than ‘No’ votes, daylight saving will be introduced permanently.

Will it apply throughout Western Australia?

Yes. It will even apply to towns close to borders with other states or territories. It does not apply to the Australian Territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Will work/school/shopping hours change?

No. Workplaces, schools, and retail outlets will still open and close at the same times, but will adjust their clocks along with everybody else at the appropriate time.

What about departure and arrival times for plane flights?

Specific airline companies should be contacted for more detailed information about departure and arrival times. Similar to workplaces, schools, and retail outlets, airlines will adjust their clocks and flight schedules at the appropriate time.

How about watering the garden?

People watering their garden should stick to the restrictions prescribed by the Water Corporation. If you have an automated reticulation system, this means you may need to adjust the clock on the controller.

How will daylight saving affect my computer?

This depends on your computer and operating system. Some systems may just require you to manually adjust the computer's clock by an hour. However, most modern computer systems are set up automatically to change the local time when daylight saving starts and finishes. These systems generally require you to download an update or "patch" from the system vendor. See the Computer Issues page for more information.

What if I am subject to legislation, regulations, or contracts that mention periods of time?

Any reference to time in legislation, regulations, contracts, agreements, or any other deed or instrument, is automatically deemed to refer to the new summer time during the daylight saving period and to Western Standard Time from the conclusion of summer time, unless the contrary is expressed in a particular instrument.

What is the impact of daylight saving on the energy industry?

Daylight saving will impact the energy industry where contracts or tariffs for electricity or gas have a time-of-use component (i.e. where different prices apply at different times of day); and the energy industry’s metering, communications, and information technology systems are designed to support these time-of-use contracts.

For the time being, regulations have been enacted to allow the energy industry to continue to operate on Western Standard Time. This will give the energy industry the necessary time to consider and make changes to their metering, communications, and information technology systems to account for daylight savings; and where necessary, to discuss amendments to contracts with customers.

As a result, consumers on time-of-use tariffs for electricity and/or gas need to be aware that the definitions for timing under their contracts will not shift with the introduction or conclusion of daylight saving.

For example, during the summer, Synergy’s SmartPower tariffs during peak and off-peak times will continue to operate on Western Standard Time:

• ‘peak’ time is the period between 11am and 5pm;
• ‘weekday shoulder’ time is the period between 7am and 11am, and 5pm and 9pm; and
• ‘off-peak’ time is any other period other than on-peak or weekday shoulder.

There are also different time-of-use rates on weekends.

What if I work in astronomy, meteorology, or navigation?

The daylight saving trial will not affect the use of standard time for the purposes of astronomy, meteorology, or navigation, although implementation of daylight saving does have an impact on meteorology and the climate record, mainly due to the use of local time for regular weather observations. See the Bureau of Meteorology web page for further information in this regard.

Will the effects of daylight saving be evaluated?

Agencies responsible for energy, water and physical activity through their Minister are to monitor the effects of daylight saving, so far as it is practical, so that it can be evaluated at the end of the three year trial.