Qld premier rejects daylight saving bid

Queensland's premier lacks the courage to hold a referendum on daylight saving, according to the man who gathered more than 21,000 signatures supporting the idea.

Sunshine Coast orthopaedic surgeon Dr Allan Clarke says he is almost certain a referendum would return a "yes" result.

But he says he is not surprised Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk shot down his petition calling for a statewide vote because it's fraught with political danger.

"Regional Queensland doesn't want daylight saving and regional Queensland is vital to whoever wins government, and that's the issue," Dr Clarke told AAP.

His petition, signed by 21,468 people, noted that research in 2007 indicated 59 per cent of Queenslanders supported the introduction of daylight saving.

But it was not enough to sway Ms Palaszczuk.

"There are no plans during this term of government to introduce daylight saving in Queensland," she said in a letter to Clerk of Parliament Neil Laurie.

"This government believes there are other priorities facing Queenslanders that require attention."

Dr Clarke described the premier's response as a "complete cop-out".

"It's just simply the evasive response to anything they lack the courage to address: 'We have other priorities'. That's just ridiculous," he said.

"I hope that one day the government's going to have the courage to address the issue competently and decisively."

Dr Clarke said business and tourism bodies needed to start pushing the government on the issue, given the lifestyle benefits it would bring to the state.

A daylight saving referendum held in 1992 failed after 54.5 per cent of Queenslanders voted no.

The issue arises in Queensland on a near-annual basis but has been rejected by successive state governments.

It has most support in the state's southeast, where businesses complain about the impact of the one-hour difference with Sydney and Melbourne, and is less popular in the north and west.

Independent MP and Speaker Peter Wellington put forward a bill on a referendum on split time zones for the state in 2010, but later withdrew it due to a lack of support.