Standard time was introduced into Australia in the 1890's when all the then colonies adopted standard times. Standard time is the result of synchronizing clocks in different geographical locations within a Time zone to the same time rather than using the local meridian as For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Before the switch to standard times, each local municipality was free to determine its own local time, called local mean time. Local mean time is a form of Solar time that corrects the variations of Local apparent time, forming a uniform time scale at a specific longitude
Australia has three standard time zones: eastern (UTC+10), central (UTC+9:30) and western (UTC+8). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The UTC+10 Time zone covers the following locations Australia (AEST&mdash Australian Eastern Standard Time) Australian UTC+930 is a Time zone used for the following locations Australia (ACST&mdashAustralian Central Standard Time New South UTC+8 is a band of Timezones separated from the Greenwich Mean Time by 8 hours [1] There are also some areas using an unofficial "central western" zone (UTC+8:45). UTC+845 is used as a Time in Australia (Central Western Time or CWT Most Australian external territories also observe different time zones.
The proper names of Australia's time zones vary. In international contexts they are often called Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) and Australian Western Standard Time (AWST), and Australian Central Western Standard Time (ACWST). In domestic contexts the leading "Australian" is often dropped in speech though the abbreviations remain.
New South Wales (NSW), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria (Vic), Tasmania and South Australia observe daylight saving time every year. Daylight saving time ( DST Western Australia also observes daylight saving time on a trial basis. Queensland and Northern Territory do not have daylight saving.
Though each State and Territory has the sole responsibility in respect to time within its jurisdiction, the standard time within each State and Territory is set in relation to the "Co-ordinated Universal Time", which is determined by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and maintained under section 8AA of the National Measurement Act 1960 of the Commonwealth. The International Bureau of Weights and Measures ( Bureau international des poids et mesures, in French) is an international Standards organization, one
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Time zones
The standardization of time in Australia began in 1892, when surveyors from the Australian colonies gathered in Melbourne for the Intercolonial Conference of Surveyors. Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The delegates accepted the recommendation of the 1884 International Meridian Conference to adopt Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as the basis for standard time, and in line with common practice in other parts of the world, devised a system of time zones with offsets in multiples of one hour from GMT. The International Meridian Conference was a conference held in October 1884 in Washington D Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London The colonies enacted legislation to this effect, which took effect in February 1895. Western Australia led GMT by 8 hours, South Australia by 9 hours, and Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania by 10 hours. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass The three time zones became known as Western, Central and Eastern Standard Time.
In May 1899 South Australia advanced Central Standard Time by thirty minutes. (Attempts in 1986 and 1994 to revert or to add another thirty minutes failed. )
When the Northern Territory separated from South Australia they retained Central Standard Time, and likewise when the Australian Capital Territory was created they retained Eastern Standard Time. The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory
Since that time, the only major change has been the adoption of Central Standard Time in Broken Hill, New South Wales, and the use of GMT+10:30 on Lord Howe Island. For the Local Government Area of Broken Hill see City of Broken Hill Broken Hill is an isolated Mining city and Local Government Area Lord Howe Island (ˈhaʊ is a small island in the Pacific Ocean east of the Australian mainland
Some towns on the Eyre Highway in the south-east corner of Western Australia, from the South Australian border almost to Caiguna, use an unofficial time zone - Central Western Standard Time - which is 45 minutes ahead of the official Western Standard Time. Caiguna is a small roadhouse community located on the Eyre Highway in Western Australia.
State legislation
Western Standard Time (AWST) - UTC+8 hours
- Western Australia - Standard Time Act 2005 [2]
Central Standard Time (ACST)- UTC+9:30 hours
- South Australia - The Standard Time Act 1898 [3]
- Northern Territory - Standard Time Act 2005 [4]
Eastern Standard Time (AEST) - UTC+10 hours
- Queensland - Standard Time Act 1894 [5]
- New South Wales - Standard Time Act 1987 No 149 [6]
- Australian Capital Territory - Standard Time and Summer Time Act 1972 [7]
- Victoria - Summer Time Act 1972 [8]
- Tasmania - Standard Time Act 1895 [9]
Anomalies
The town of Broken Hill (specified as Yancowinna County), in far-western New South Wales, follows South Australian time. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass For the Local Government Area of Broken Hill see City of Broken Hill Broken Hill is an isolated Mining city and Local Government Area Yancowinna County New South Wales is one of the 141 Cadastral divisions of New South Wales. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country
Some towns on the Eyre Highway in the south-east corner of Western Australia, between the South Australian border almost as far as Caiguna, do not follow official Western Australian time. Location Named after Edward John Eyre the Eyre Highway is a highway linking Western Australia and South Australia. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Caiguna is a small roadhouse community located on the Eyre Highway in Western Australia. Instead, they use what is unofficially known as Central Western Standard Time, which was originally halfway between Western and Central time--UTC+8:45. UTC+845 is used as a Time in Australia (Central Western Time or CWT The area maintained its fixed offset from UTC when daylight saving time was introduced in South Australia. Now that Western Australia is also observing DST on a trial basis, the Central Western area is also setting its clocks ahead an hour during local summer.
Towns following this zone include Madura, Mundrabilla, Eucla and Border Village in South Australia. Madura is a small roadhouse community located on the Eyre Highway in Western Australia, on the Nullarbor Plain. Mundrabilla is a small roadhouse community located on the Eyre Highway in Western Australia, on the Nullarbor Plain, west of Eucla and Eucla is the easternmost locality in Western Australia, located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia along the Eyre Highway The total population of the area is estimated at 200. Border sign
The Indian Pacific train has its own time zone - a so-called "train time" when travelling between Kalgoorlie and Port Augusta which was UTC+9 hours during November 2005 when daylight saving time was observed in the east. Route The route leaves East Perth Station and travels first along a dual gauge section of the Midland suburban line and east to Kalgoorlie, then following Port Augusta (post code 5700 ( is the fifth most populous City in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier, Whyalla and UTC+9 is a Time zone used for the following locations Single-zone Countries East Timor Japan (JST— Japan PortalCurrent events News collections and sources See WikipediaNews collections and sources. This was because of the 2 1/2 hour difference in times between South Australia and Western Australia until December 2006.
External territories
Australia's many external territories follow their own time zones.
Daylight saving time
The choice to use daylight saving time or not is a matter for the individual states and territories. Heard Island and McDonald Islands (abbreviated as HIMI are barren islands located in the Southern Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to UTC+5 is the Timezone for Pakistan Standard Time West Asia Standard Time. UTC+630 is used as a Time in Australia, for Cocos Islands and as a time in Burma (Myanmar. The Territory of Christmas Island is a small territory of Australia located in the Indian Ocean, 2600 kilometres (1600 mi northwest of UTC+7 is a Time zone used in Laos Thailand Cambodia Vietnam Norfolk Island ( Norfuk: Norfuk Ailen) is a small inhabited island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand UTC+1130 is used as a Time in Australia, for Norfolk Island. On November 2 1868, New Zealand officially adopted a standard time to be observed The Australian Antarctic Territory ( AAT) is the part of Antarctica claimed by Australia and is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation Mawson Station is a permanent base in Antarctica managed by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD UTC+6 is a band of Timezones separated from the Greenwich Mean Time by 6 hours The Australian Antarctic Territory ( AAT) is the part of Antarctica claimed by Australia and is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation History The first recorded sighting of the coastline now occupied by Davis Station was on 9 February 1931 during the second British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic The Australian Antarctic Territory ( AAT) is the part of Antarctica claimed by Australia and is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation Casey Station is a permanent base in Antarctica managed by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD located on Vincennes Bay. UTC+8 is a band of Timezones separated from the Greenwich Mean Time by 8 hours Daylight saving time ( DST
New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia observe daylight saving time every year. Daylight saving time ( DST This has resulted in three time zones becoming five during the daylight saving period. South Australia time becomes UTC+10:30, called Central Summer Time (CST) or Central Daylight Time (CDT), possibly with "Australia" prefixed (ACST or ACDT). UTC+1030 is the Time zone for the following locations Lord Howe Island Standard Time ACDT&mdashAustralian Central The time in the southeastern states become UTC+11, using "Eastern" in the time zone name rather than "Central", with the abbreviations being EST, EDT, AEST, or AEDT.
Officially, the change to and from DST takes place at 2:00 am local standard time (which is 3:00 am daylight saving time) on the appropriate Sunday.
Western Australia is operating daylight saving time in a trial period from the spring 2006 until autumn 2009 [10], after which a referendum will be held to determine if it should be put in place permanently. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita While daylight saving time is in effect, time in Western Australia is one hour ahead of Western Standard Time (so it will be UTC+9). There was a debate over whether the referendum should be held in 2007 before 2009, as in 2007 favour had begun to swing sharply against daylight saving time according to the polls at that time (with the Liberals and Nationals against the practice, and Labor undecided).
Of the states that observe daylight saving time, most began on the last Sunday in October, and ended on the last Sunday in March, until 2008. In 2006, the state of Western Australia began its trial late on 3 December. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. In 2007 and 2008, it was in line with the Eastern states. An exception was the state of Tasmania, which (due to its southern latitude) began daylight saving time earlier, on the first Sunday in October, and ended on the first Sunday of April. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the
On 12 April 2007, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and the ACT agreed to a common starting and finishing dates for daylight saving time. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Commencing from the 2007/08 period, the start of DST in these States and in South Australia will be the first Sunday in October and end on the first Sunday in April, the same as in Tasmania. Western Australia has not amended its currently legislated times/dates, DST ending on the last Sunday of March.
Queensland (AEST) and Northern Territory (ACST) do not change to DST.
| State/Territory | Start of DST | End of DST |
|---|---|---|
| Western Australia | last Sunday in October | last Sunday in March |
| South Australia | first Sunday in October | first Sunday in April |
| Northern Territory | N/A | N/A |
| Queensland | N/A | N/A |
| New South Wales | first Sunday in October | first Sunday in April |
| Australian Capital Territory | first Sunday in October | first Sunday in April |
| Victoria | first Sunday in October | first Sunday in April |
| Tasmania | first Sunday in October | first Sunday in April |
Debate over daylight saving time
Public opinion on daylight saving time in Queensland is divided. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass People and businesses in the Queensland-New South Wales border area complain of the inconvenience caused by the difference in time at the border. Queensland and the Northern Territory have not adopted daylight saving because the seasonal differences in daylight become less pronounced as one moves closer to the equator. Former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie claimed that daylight savings in Queensland would increase the rate of skin cancer in the state, a claim to which there is no evidence according to the Queensland Cancer Fund. Peter Douglas Beattie (born 18 November 1952) Australian politician was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland Skin cancer is a Malignant growth on the Skin which can have many causes [2]
Western Australia has also had a debate over daylight saving time, with the issue being put to a plebiscite three times: in 1975, 1984 and 1992. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. All were defeated. Daylight saving time has been tried in the state on various occasions. The parliament of Western Australia has passed legislation to try daylight saving time again beginning 3 December 2006 and lasting three years, at the end of which a plebiscite will be held to decide the fate of daylight saving time in the state until the issue arises again. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Daylight Saving Bill (No. 2) 2006 was passed in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia on 31 October 2006 and in the Legislative Council on 21 November. The Legislative Assembly, or lower house is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. The Parliament of Western Australia consists of the Western Australian Legislative Council, the Western Australian Legislative Assembly and the Governor Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Legislative Council, or upper house is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. This timeframe allowed only 12 days for computer systems administrators and operating system manufacturers to test, release and install a patch to handle the time changes. This bill was subject to widespread controversy, as this is the fourth time the WA Government has instigated a trial of daylight saving time with a plebiscite.
Special events
In 2000, all eastern jurisdictions that normally observe daylight saving time — New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania — started daylight saving time early, due to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 These jurisdictions changed on 27 August 2000. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. South Australia did not change until the regular time, which that year was on 29 October 2000. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.
In 2006, all states that followed daylight saving time (the above listed states plus South Australia) delayed the return to their respective Standard Times by a week, due to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006 Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Daylight saving time ended on 2 April 2006. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
Accuracy and standards
Although Australia has maintained a version of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) atomic time scale since the 1990s, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) remained the formal basis for the standard times of all states until 2005. Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London In November 2004, the State and Territory Attorneys-General endorsed a proposal from the Australian National Measurement Institute to adopt UTC as the standard of all Australian standard times, thereby eliminating the effects of slight variations in the Earth's rotation rate that are inherent to mean solar time. Solar times are measures of the apparent position of the Sun on the Celestial sphere. All States have adopted the UTC standard, commencing from 1 September 2005. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Rules relating to time
In most cases the time when something needs to be done is clear: standard times or the daylight saving times set under State laws will operate.
The rule is that if something needs to be done by a particular time, it is for the person who is required to perform that act to have it completed by that time. For example, if a person making an offer (the "offeror") to, say, sell something and specifies a time by which this offer must be accepted, the person accepting the offer must convey that acceptance to the offeror where the offeror is located and at the time specified by the offeror, where the offeror is located. This has significance when the local time of the two parties is different.
As a general rule, the person required to perform an act (eg pay some money) must make sure that the act is performed by that time. If he cannot perform that act by that time because, say, the office where the money needs to be paid is closed because of a weekend or public holiday, then that person must perform that act before the office closes. This applies especially to government offices, which are open only during specified times.
It is also common to specify in contracts that if the time when an act needs to be performed falls on a weekend or a public holiday, then that act needs to be performed on the next business day. A contract is an exchange of promises between two or more parties to do or refrain from doing an act which is enforceable in a court of law A business day is a duration of time standardized to the seven-day Work week, used to differentiate calendar days based on a seven-day week from the time period when a company
National times
However, there are situations where a nation-wide time operates. In the case of business activities a national time, in effect, operates. For example, a prospectus for the issue of shares in a company would usually set out the closing time for offers at some location (eg Sydney) as the time when offers must be received, irrespective of the source of the offer. Similarly, tenders usually set out the time at a particular location by which they must be received to be considered. Another example is the Australian Stock Exchange which, in effect, operates on AEST. The Australian Securities Exchange ( ASX) is the primary Stock exchange in Australia.
On the other hand, Commonwealth legislation yields to State regulated standard times in many diverse situations. It yields, for example, in setting normal working times of Commonwealth employees, recognition of public holidays, etc. Significantly, it also relies on local time for federal elections, so that polling times in Western Australia close, in effect, two hours after those in the east coast States. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Similarly, documents to be filed in a Federal Court may be filed based on local time; with the effect that if there was a failure to lodge a document on time in an eastern State, the document may still be lodged (within two hours) in Western Australia.
See also
Notes
- ^ Official government website[1]
- ^ "Daylight saving cancer claim disputed", The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media, 2006-10-24. This is a list of Time zones sorted by Time offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC The Sydney Morning Herald ( SMH) is a daily Broadsheet Newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Retrieved on 2007-07-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death (English)
References
- The Australian National Time System National Standards Commission Leaflet No. 8, January 2003. Linked via Wayback machine
- NSW Legislative Council Hansard, 2 March 2005
- Daylight Saving Petitions
- Daylight Saving Time History of daylight saving time implementation dates at the Bureau of Meteorology website. The Wayback machine originally referred to a fictional machine from a segment of the Cartoon The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show used to transport Mr
External links
- Information on time zones from official Government web site
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