FIRST-ROUND submissions have closed, but the debate about the state's time zone rages on.
After public consultations in Ceduna, Port Lincoln and Mount Gambier, the government hosted a debate in Adelaide on Thursday last week.
Following the debate Primary Producers SA chairman Rob Kerin said he was surprised by the support shown towards the idea of going back half an hour.
He said he had not considered it much of a viable option until the debate, but now considered it had a chance of happening.
The PPSA had held its own member's survey on the issue in order to make a submission to the government.
This had nearly 1200 respondents - 51 per cent were in favour of the status quo, and 42pc in favour of moving back half an hour.
Mr Kerin said of the 4.9pc in favour of the shift to Eastern Standard Time, a quarter did so with the condition that daylight saving time be abolished.
He said that based on comments in the survey, there was a lot of support within those two groups.
"I reckon if people know the EST minus one hour was a real option, it would have more support," he said.
In opening the debate Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith said people who wanted the time zone moved 30 minutes in either direction had lobbied the government on both sides, which led to the consultation.
"We want the issue resolved one way or another - either we want a change or we want the issue put to bed for the next 20 years," he said.
Ceduna District Council mayor Allan Suter said the debate had the benefit of drawing attention to some of the issues already being experienced by students living on the Eyre Peninsula that could be worsened if the state aligned with EST.
"We'd have children getting up 1.5 hours before sunrise, driving 45 kilometres, dodging kangaroos and emus, meeting a bus, driving another 35km, dodging kangaroos and emus, and get to school 12 minutes after sunrise," he said.
In response to suggestions that the school hours for those on the EP could be adjusted, Mr Suter said this had already been considered.
"Parents drop their kids off at school on the way to work, so we'd have to change working hours too," he said.
There were also businesses on the EP which had dealings with WA businesses.
"If we go with ETS, it would be 12.30pm before they could ring anyone," he said.
"I think the facts will support moving to a true central Australian time."
Executive director of SA Centre for Economic Studies Michael O'Neil said studies in the past had shown that aligning with the eastern states could see SA reap an extra $570 million, or $670m in today's money, through savings or extra revenue.
But with SA having an economy of $92 billion, that was a relatively small amount.
"There are different industries that would benefit and others wouldn't," he said.
"We also need to look at interactions with Asia and interstate."
ANZ SA chair Jane Yuile said with the SA economy relatively small, there could be benefits in aligning with the larger economies of Qld, NSW and Vic, whereas the WA economy was much larger.
Festivals Australia executive officer Christie Anthoney said the extra daylight hours from moving SA time forward could be of benefit during the many festivals the state held.
But she was mostly against the half-hour difference, which she considered "a joke".
"I hope this doesn't result in no change because that would be disappointing," she said.
An audience member at the debate suggested a referendum to get a full state consensus, but the panellists were not in favour.
Ms Yuile pointed out that the greater population of Adelaide could see the results stacked unfairly.
"It's important that all views are heard and discussed, rather than a popular vote," she said.
Mr Kerin said this was not an issue that effected everyone equally, with the extra hour "nice to have" for some.
He said many primary producers on the West Coast, such as farmers and fishermen, would still be required to work daylight hours, and with those out of sync with clock hours it could limit their time with their families.
"We've got a kid in Ceduna who doesn't see their dad and is sleep-deprived versus someone who just wants an extra half-hour at the beach," he said.
Debate comp((xE8))ère Leigh McClusky said this initial round of consultation was just the beginning of the process, with more people realising the importance of having their say.
The first period of consultation closed on Friday. The information from this will be collated and a review released, at which point another round of consultation will be held.