(NSW) Prohibit Gas Network Connections in New Developments
- Olivia Limson, Roma Heanly, Prachi Sharma, Amasha Baddegama, Siva Nandhana P, Vittoria Galano, Jan P.J. , Siahn Fraser & Virginia Wills
- 6 days ago
- 9 min read
Author: Olivia Limson, Roma Heanly, Prachi Sharma, Amasha Baddegama, Siva Nandhana P, Vittoria Galano, Jan Piechowski-Jozwiak, Siahn Fraser & Virginia Wills | Publish date: 7/5/2026
P: In NSW, new property developments may connect to the gas network.
S: The NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces should amend Schedule 1, Section 2 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 (NSW) to add a new subclause prohibiting gas network connections for new developments.
E: Planning Institute Australia (PIA): ‘Development standards should be amended to prohibit gas connections in new homes.’
Problem Identification:
Under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 (NSW) sits Schedule 1, Section 2, which includes the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX). This mandatory planning regulation requires all new home designs to ‘achieve reductions in water and energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions’ before a building permit is issued. However, it does not specify that gas connections are prohibited for new developments.
According to the Justice and Equity Centre, ‘Australia’s climate and emissions reduction commitments cannot be met affordably, and certainly cannot be met in time, without decommissioning residential gas networks [and] improving household energy performance’. Additionally, the Grattan Institute noted that maintaining gas connections can pose adverse health risks, such as asthma. They also highlighted that gas connections could lead to higher overall energy costs over a home's lifecycle.
Context:
According to the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association, the gas network consists of thousands of kilometres of gas pipelines constructed around Australia to safely distribute gas across houses and infrastructure. According to Rewiring Australia, the number of homes connected to gas fell by more than 11,000 from April to September 2025. The NSW Government noted that gas connections in residential and commercial buildings accounted for nearly 46% of NSW’s gas use (roughly 41.7 million gigajoules in 2022–23).
Arguments:
According to the Australian Journal of General Practice, gas appliances release pollutants that ‘can directly cause airway constriction and sensitisation to allergens’, posing significant health risks to occupants. Asthma Australia reported that gas cooktops emitted pollutants linked to asthma flare-ups. Their research indicated ‘that up to 12 per cent of childhood asthma in Australia is attributable to gas cooking.’ The Climate Council stated that ‘a child living with gas cooking in the home faces a comparable risk of asthma to a child living with household cigarette smoke.’
The PIA argued that new gas connections in new developments conflict with NSW’s 2035 and 2050 net-zero targets and emission reduction goals. Moreover, 350 Australia, a not-for-profit, grassroots environmental organisation, stated ‘any credible path towards net zero must include the decommissioning of the residential gas network.’ According to the Net Zero Commission, the use of fossil fuels in homes and buildings accounted for 53% of direct emissions in the built environment sector in 2024. 350 Australia noted that ‘it will be incredibly difficult for the NSW state government to achieve its goal of cutting the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70% on 2005 levels by 2035, let alone achieving net zero by 2050, if it continues to allow gas connections in new homes.’
The Grattan Institute noted that current planning regulations may result in a greater financial burden on new developments connected to gas infrastructure, compared to those that have electrical energy sources. Energy Consumers Australia (ECA), an independent body, warned that as more households electrify, those remaining on gas will face higher bills as network costs are redistributed across a shrinking customer base. Further, according to the Climate Council, gas in new developments increases household costs due to rising gas prices. They noted that modern electric homes are ‘cheaper to run than gas alternatives’ and could avoid the ‘vicious cycle of escalating gas bills’. The Climate Council estimated that remaining on a gas connection could cost Sydney households an additional $924 annually, compared to households that switch to all-electric appliances.
Advice/Solution Identification:
The PIA, 350 Australia and Doctors for the Environment Australia have called for a ban on new gas connections to residential developments. The PIA stated that this could allow ‘a greater proportion of households to meet their energy demands entirely with renewables.’
Precedent:
There are domestic and international precedents for prohibiting gas network connections on new developments. Domestically, VIC has committed to phasing out new gas connections for new developments between 2024 and 2027. Internationally, Austria has banned the installation of gas boilers in new buildings.
Public support:
Broad support:
Frontier Energy expressed that gas appliances are less energy efficient. However, they have not explicitly called for a ban.
‘A powerful coalition of unions, health experts, community and environmental groups is calling on the NSW Government to create a plan to drive down gas use across the state.’ However, they have not explicitly called for a ban on new gas connections in new developments:
This list reflects publicly stated positions and should not necessarily be taken as endorsement of this specific brief.
News Coverage:
ABC News - “Why are there calls to ban gas in new buildings in NSW? What will it mean for households?” This article reported that banning gas connections in new builds sent a message that councils saw electrification as the future of decarbonisation. By: Lydia Feng and Catherine Hanrahan | 23 August 2023 - Read the article here.
Sydney Morning Herald - “Minns criticised council’s gas ban as an ‘overstep’. Developers say it’s a no-brainer”. This article reported that property developers have supported the ban on gas connections, contradicting the NSW Premier. By: Caitlin Fitzsimmons | 26 June 2025 - Read the article here.
Yahoo News - “Aussie council rolls out landmark household ban in growing national trend”. This article reported that a local Sydney council has banned gas appliances in new residential developments as part of a growing trend toward electrification and net-zero emissions. By: Joe Attanasio | 18 December 2025 - Read the article here.
Where to go to learn more:
(2023) Getting off gas: why, how, and who should pay? | Grattan Institute - This report recommended actions by both state and federal governments to support Australia's net-zero initiatives, calling for the ban of gas connections in new developments. The report also analysed the financial breakdown of electrification costs. Read the report here.
(2025) Decarbonising buildings, industry, and waste | NSW Productivity and Equality Commission - The NSW Productivity and Equality Commission identified buildings, including household energy use, as a major emissions source. It noted that electrification (including councils ending gas connections for new buildings) is a necessary part of the net-zero transition and suggested ending gas connections to new homes and buildings. Read the report here.
(2025) Banning New Residential and Commercial Gas Connections in NSW Local Government Areas – Impact Assessment | Strategy Policy Research - This report provided an in-depth analysis of the household and statewide economic and emissions savings from all-electric new builds. Read the full report here.
State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 (NSW) - Read the full policy here.
Human Perspective:
As a mum, Zahra never imagined that something as ordinary as using a gas stove to cook dinner or turning on a gas heater in winter could put her child in danger. Her son David has lived with asthma since he was little, and ever since, the air around him has never felt like something they could take for granted. Simple, everyday moments such as frying onions on the gas stove in the kitchen or sitting by the gas heater on a cold night can cause flare ups in David’s asthma. Zahra finds herself watching him closely, listening for even the smallest change in his breathing, always ready to step in. It’s exhausting and, at times, isolating for both of them. People often think asthma is something you manage with medication. And while that helps, it’s not the whole picture. When gas appliances affect the air inside your home, and make your child sick, inhalers can only do so much. Over time, Zahra has realised this isn’t just about David, it is a common concern for many people in her community, young and old. Zahra and David now feel that while medication and monitoring help, safer housing and better air quality are essential for all people to live and breathe safely.
To protect the anonymity of those involved, this is a fictionalised account drawn from an amalgamation of real-life stories, experiences and testimonials gathered during the research process for this brief. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.
Conflict of interest/acknowledgment statement:
N/A
Support
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Disclaimers
Please review all FORE disclaimers here.
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