This year, that means clocks will move forward an hour on Sunday, September 27.<\/p>\n
New Zealand first observed daylight saving<\/a> in 1927 after entomologist George Hudson proposed shifting the clocks forward more than three decades earlier. He was reportedly keen to have more daylight after work to collect insects.<\/p>\n Daylight saving was later stopped before being reintroduced during the global energy crisis in the 1970s, with longer summer evenings seen as a way of reducing electricity use.<\/p>\n The period has since been extended several times, with the current dates in place since 2007.<\/p>\n Winter landscape. Dry grass in frost in the morning sun. (Source: istock.com)<\/p>\n Are the days already getting longer?<\/p>\n Despite daylight saving being more than a month away, New Zealand is already seeing longer days as the Southern Hemisphere moves towards the summer solstice in December.<\/p>\n In Auckland, the shortest day of the year on June 21 brought about nine hours and 38 minutes of daylight, with sunrise at 7.33am and sunset at 5.11pm.<\/p>\n By Friday, August 21, Aucklanders enjoy almost 11 hours of daylight as the sun rises at 6.57am and sets at 5.51pm.<\/p>\n On September 26, the day before daylight saving begins, that will stretch beyond 12 hours, with sunrise at about 6.05am and sunset at 6.20pm.<\/p>\n The difference is even more pronounced further south. Dunedin had just eight hours and 39 minutes of daylight on June 21, with sunrise at 8.20am and sunset at 4.59pm.<\/p>\n This Friday, that increases to about 10-and-a-half hours, with sunrise at 7.28am and sunset at 5.55pm.<\/p>\n By September 26, Dunedin will also have more than 12 hours of daylight, with the sun rising at about 6.20am and setting at 6.39pm.<\/p>\n When the clocks move forward the following morning, sunrise and sunset will appear an hour later on the clock, shifting more daylight into the evening.<\/p>\n Daylight saving ends (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n The debate overseas<\/p>\n Although changing the clocks twice a year is well established in New Zealand, several countries have debated whether the practice should continue amid concerns about potential negative health effects<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Winter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/winter-landscape-dry-grass-in-frost-in-the-morning-sun-KQC5LWSFZNCHRBD25SCA2STAMI.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Daylight](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/daylight-saving-ends-6RBGYQFWC5HKFHDM5YUXNDNMDQ.png\")
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