America moves to make Daylight Saving Time permanent in some states

You either love it, or you hate it, but rarely is anyone ambivalent toward it.

New Zealand entomologist George Hudson proposed the twice-yearly time change in 1895 because it would give him more time in summer to hunt for bugs.

But it took until 1927 for the nation to adopt the concept.

In fact, it was actually introduced to Australia more than a decade before New Zealand came onboard. And Germany became the first nation to move to Daylight Saving Time in 1916.

In Australia, Tasmania was first to switch clocks in summer, also bringing in the strategy in 1916.

The rest of the country then fell into line in 1917 before many states promptly withdrew from the time-changing strategy the following year.

It's been a point of tension - particularly between NSW and Queensland - ever since.

In a couple of weeks' time, on the first weekend of April, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, and Norfolk Island will switch off Daylight Saving Time again in preparation for winter.

And so the debate tends to circulate once again. Should we have Daylight Saving Time at all?

Proponents of both sides might be looking to America with keen interest at the moment after the US Senate passed an Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent all year.

Effectively, it would make the summertime 'spring forward' hours permanent year-round in the states that sign on to the Sunshine Protection Act.

The bill still needs approval from the House of Representatives and will need to be signed by President Joe Biden before anything is made law.

America first adopted Daylight Saving in 1942, to aid with homefront productivity during the Second World War.

The original cosponsor of the latest legislation, Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, has said it is a matter of public health.

"No more switching clocks, more daylight hours to spend outside after school and after work, and more smiles - that is what we get with permanent Daylight Saving Time," Senator Markey said in a statement.

The bill means "more sunshine, less depression," said Washington Senator Patty Murray.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: Americans want more sunshine and less depression - people in this country, all the way from Seattle to Miami, want the Sunshine Protection Act," Senator Murray said.

So is it time to change in Australia as well?