A VAST majority of Queenslanders in the southeast want to trial daylight saving and have a referendum on the issue.

But their cousins outside of the southeast corner are as passionately opposed to the concept, according to results from a state government online poll.

Premier Anna Bligh said the result indicates that there is not enough momentum for change.

"Frankly, I am a bit surprised," she said.

Ms Bligh said it was difficult to justify spending public money on a referendum if there wasn't an expectation of a change.

The poll, in which 74,000 people responded was split along regional lines.

67 per cent of people in the southeast are in favour of a referendum.

65 per cent of those in the regions are opposed.

70 per cent of people in the southeast want a trial of split time zones for the southeast

76 per cent of regional Queenslanders are opposed to such a trial.

In answer to the question on having a referendum on split timezones, 63 per cent were in favour, 35 percent against and 2 per cent undecided.

In answer to whether Queensland should trial daylight saving in the southeast corner, 64 per cent said yes, 34 per cent said no and 2 per cent were undecided.

The survey results will be discussed at a Labor caucus meeting on Monday when it will be decided how Government MPs will vote on the issue when a bill proposing both a trial and referendum is tabled in Parliament in the coming weeks.

The political group leader who reignited the call for daylight saving wants Premier Bligh to lock in October 3 as the time to start a split time-zone trial.

Jason Furze from Daylight Saving for South East Queensland said the date would be in line with other states that already had daylight saving.

``Let's make the call today,'' Furze said.

``It's a contentious issue. The only way to find out what every Queenslander wants is to ask them the question by referendum.''

Independent MP Peter Wellington has introduced a private member's Bill to have a referendum on daylight saving for the southeast, saying the state had never tried dual time zones.

Furze had said that if the online poll result was 50-50 or above a trial and a referendum were warranted.

``It's proven once again this is an issue and a problem,'' he said.

``This issue is not going to go away until it's adequately resolved and a dual time zone may be that adequate solution.''

A spokesman for Bligh said an analysis of the survey responses revealed a huge divide in attitudes between regional and southeast Queenslanders.

``While 67 per cent of southeast Queensland respondents were in favour of a referendum, 65 per cent of those in the regions were opposed,'' the spokesman said.

``Similarly, 76 per cent of regional Queenslanders were opposed to a trial for the southeast corner, compared to 70 per cent of SEQ respondents who were in favour.''

Furze said lack of information about any potential boundaries for a dual time zone probably affected the vote.

with mX



Originally published as Sun sets on daylight saving