Melbourne is typically 14-16 hours ahead of New York, depending on the time of year. Both cities observe daylight saving time, but on opposite schedules (US: March-November, Australia: October-April).
During overlapping daylight saving periods (March-April, October-November): 14-15 hours. During opposite seasons (US summer/Australian winter): 14 hours. During Australian summer/US winter: 16 hours.
Optimal meeting window: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM Melbourne time (3:00 PM - 5:00 PM New York previous day, varying by season). Early morning Melbourne catches afternoon New York.
Melbourne and New York are both major financial and cultural centers with active trading relationships, particularly in finance, media, and creative industries.