Tick tock

THIS weekend, we put back our clocks an hour to prepare for the official onset of autumn and winter.

Daylight Savings will put Melbourne back in line with its Queensland cousins as they resist to take part in the tradition that lengthens the hours of daylight throughout the spring and summer seasons.

The northern state doesn't undertake the clock-changing-process because, well.... just because. It's a permanent hot potato and a bone of contention for most northerners. The great divide of 'for' and 'against' goes on, even after trials back in 1971, 1989, 90 and 91.

In 1992, the Queensland Summer Time Act was the subject of a referendum where Queenslanders voted 54.5% against daylight savings. And so it goes on. But Queensland does have a case against daylight saving insofar as it is hot, sub-tropical and nearly homogenous in its seasonal daylight patterns.

I understand that there is a whole heap of good reasons why the operation takes place. Apparently, car fatality statistics are reduced, as is crime, pollution and heating and lighting costs. But on the flip side, it can, and has been known to, cause confusion to those working on the borders of existing time zones by complicating timekeeping, disrupting travel, meetings, billing systems and computer software.

To be honest, the whole thing monkeys around with my brain. I've been out here for more than a year and still fail to instantly work out what time it is back in UK. I can't do it without counting on fingers and pulling an odd and quizzical face while staring at the analogue clockface we have hanging in our kitchen.

Easter Monday has been highlighted on my social calendar to celebrate a colleague's wedding - I just hope we get our timing right and turn up on schedule to witness our second Aussie wedding!