Daylight saving may be the victim of Western Australia's election - further bemusing those who watch us from a distance.
Putting clocks forward an hour is very unpopular in rural electorates, so it is expected, though not confirmed, that the Nationals WA will make an early referendum on daylight saving - before this summer - a prerequisite to siding with the Liberals to allow a conservative government.
A return to a three-hour summer time differential with the east coast will add to WA's 'Wait Awhile' tag in other states, a reputation that will have been further enhanced by the past week's slow-motion election result, with a winner still not expected until Sunday - due to an excruciatingly drawn-out count and the Nationals own deliberations.
The irony of the potential deathknell for daylight saving is rich.
Legisation for a three-year trial of daylight saving (to be followed by a referendum in Autumn 2009) was introduced in 2006 by an alliance of the now retiring member for Kalgoorlie, Matt Birney, and a dumped Labor minister and recent independent member, John D'Orazio.
Funny, then, that the decision of John Bowler, the successful new candidate for Kalgoorlie and himself a dumped Labor minister and independent member, to side with the Nats adds to the likelihood that daylight saving will suffer an early execution.
Late addendum: Of course, Brendon Grylls may be a little wary of demanding an early vote on daylight saving: look what happened to the last guy who brought forward a poll in WA!
