Daylight Saving Legislation
The regulation of time is a State Government responsibility and in New South Wales the Standard Time Act 1987 governs standard time and daylight saving. Changes to the period of daylight saving may be made by regulation.

Standard Time
Standard time in New South Wales (known as Eastern Standard Time) is 10 hours in advance of Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC*), except for Broken Hill and Lord Howe Island.

Standard time in Broken Hill (i.e. the County of Yancowinna) is 9 hours and 30 minutes in advance of UTC*.
Standard time in Lord Howe Island is 10 hours and 30 minutes in advance of UTC*

* Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) replaced Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as the international time standard.

Start and Finish of Daylight Saving in NSW
Daylight saving begins at 2 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the last Sunday in October and ends at 3 a.m. summer time on the last Sunday in March. During daylight saving, summer time in New South Wales is one hour in advance of New South Wales standard time.

Therefore, at 2 a.m. standard time on the last Sunday in October clocks are put forward one hour- the time then becomes 3 a.m. summer time. At 3 a.m. summer time on the last Sunday in March clocks are put back one hour- the time then becomes 2 a.m. standard time.

Further Information
Daylight saving times can be checked by ringing a 24 hour recorded message on (02) 9228 7966. Other information may be obtained during business hours on (02) 9228 7284.

Sunrise, sunset, tides, moon phases, time zones and astronomy
Sunrise, sunset, tides, moon phases, time zones and astronomy enquiries should be directed to the Sydney Observatory on (02) 9217 0485.

History of Daylight Saving in NSW
Daylight saving operated nationally during World War I from 1 January 1917 to 25 March 1917 and during World War II for three summers, beginning on 1 January 1942.

Daylight saving was introduced again in this State on 31 October 1971 after the Standard Time Act 1971 was passed by the New South Wales Parliament.

A referendum held on 1 May 1976 submitted a proposal that daylight saving be adopted on a permanent basis. The ballot paper stated:

At present there is a period commonly called "daylight saving" by which time is advanced by one hour for the period commencing on the last Sunday in October in each year and ending on the first Sunday in March in the following year.

Electors were then asked to answer YES or NO to the question:
Are you in favour of daylight saving?

1,882,770 electors were in favour; 868,900 were against and 35,507 votes were informal. This is a ratio of 13:6 in favour.

Source: Lawlink/NSW