The sun’ll come out… for about half
October 21, 2019
Daylight savings continues to polarise the WA community.
It’s the great debate of our great state – an extra hour of light in the evening, or in the morning?
Our latest ‘People’s Voice’ poll published in The West Australian revealed that around 55% of the 774 people we asked support having daylight savings in Western Australia. But, over 40% are opposed to the idea, and 5% remain undecided. This close split probably reflects that support for daylight savings comes down to individual preference and circumstance – we all lead different lives that keep us inside (and take us outside) at different times of the day!
And this is pretty clear in the interesting sub-group differences that emerged…
Support generally decreases with age and life stage
- Those aged 50+ are most likely to be in opposition (voted “no”) to daylight savings, led by 50-59 year olds and 70+ year olds (51% against).
- On the other hand, 30-39 year olds are most in favour, with almost two thirds (65%) in support.
Perth metro residents are more likely to support it
- 56% of those living in metro areas support daylight savings, compared to only 42% of WA regional residents.
Employment type plays a strong role in preference
- Those who are working full-time or part-time are more likely to be in favour (59%) than people not in the workforce (49%).
- Those not in the workforce are actually one of the most split groups – 49% are in support, while 48% are against.
- Those who likely have more freedom to choose their own hours (self-employed, semi-retired, contract or freelance) also show lower levels of support (47%).
Both major parties of government in WA have been clear that there won’t be another referendum on the issue anytime soon – but it’s still interesting to keep tabs on how people feel about this divisive topic!
Check out The West Australian’s coverage of our poll results here: New poll suggests West Australians now support daylight saving
