Friday 19 January 2007

Summer has finally arrived - but not for long!

United Future leader Peter Dunne has renewed his appeal for support of the daylight saving petition being put forward jointly by Nelson City Councillor Mark Holmes and United Future.

"With the weather now picking up and people enjoying an after-work outdoor lifestyle it is a little depressing to think that in two months time, 18 March, we have to turn our clocks back," said Mr Dunne.

"Cr. Holmes and I are both of the opinion that daylight saving does not run for long enough, especially at the end of summer when New Zealand weather is traditionally very stable and conducive to outdoor recreational activities."

The premise of the petition is to provide three extra weeks of extended daylight in the evenings; New Zealand daylight saving time to begin on the last Sunday in September and end on the first Sunday in April.

The petition forms are being distributed around Nelson and among interested groups nationwide. It is downloadable from the United Future website at www.unitedfuture.org.nz or through Mark Holmes at mark.holmes@ncc.govt.nz.

"The petition that I launched last October in conjunction with Cr Holmes has already received a great deal of support from people all over the country. I would encourage anybody who is interested to download a form, collect signatures from their family, friends and colleagues and send it back to Cr Holmes by 28 February."

"The fact of the matter is that New Zealand drags the chain on daylight saving in comparison with other parts of the world; we only have 24 weeks of it a year, that compares with 29 weeks a year for Britain, 31 for Europe and 26 for Tasmania. I consider it time for a review of this situation," concluded Mr Dunne.

ENDS

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