Greens Proposal to Ban New Gas Connections Defeated in NSW

The Greens have attempted to ban gas on new builds in New South Wales (NSW) in parliament, following the lead of Victoria.

Greens Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Abigail Boyd moved a motion (pdf) calling on the government to “ban new gas connections for residential and commercial developments.”

It also called for higher standards of energy efficiency for rentals to “protect health and climate.”

Boyd argued that gas was a “polluting fossil fuel” and one of the leading causes of the “climate crisis.”

“Every day that we continue to extract, process and burn gas, we are overheating our planet and driving more frequent and intense catastrophic climate disasters,” she said.

“Study after study and common sense have proven that electrifying all new homes in NSW is one of the most effective ways to cut emissions.”

Boyd said it was time for the government to set a clear pathway towards “electrifying everything, building by building and suburb by suburb.”

The motion was defeated with six votes in favour and 33 against.

Libertarian MLC John Ruddick said the policy of banning gas in new homes was “absurd.”

Ruddick said that while there were nearly no benefits to banning gas in new homes, the costs were very real.

“Here is just a short list of the costs that would be imposed on the general public: Devaluing existing gas infrastructure, which pushes up the price of gas for existing users; taking away choice from residents and businesses; increasing the demand on our electricity grid; and shrinking the gas industry and associated jobs,” he said.

“This nonsense cannot endure forever. For some strange reason, Australia seems to be the last nation to wake up. But wake we will.”

Gas Continues to Be a Reliable Energy Source: Liberals

Shadow Minister for Housing, Cities and Planning Scott Farlow said it should be up to businesses, households, and developers to decide how they power their kitchens, homes or projects.

“New technology will, over time, improve in efficiency and affordability, but the reality is that gas continues to be an important and reliable energy source for households, small businesses and the hospitality sector across New South Wales. In fact, it is an important part of the transition,” he said.

Farlow said the role of government should be to set fair standards for safety and efficiency rather than dictate a single energy source.

“Heavy-handed intervention removes choice and ignores the fact that different users have different needs,” he said.

Labor Looks to Develop Gas Plan

The Labor Party sought to amend the Greens’ motion to instead develop a gas plan that would consider “electrification and energy efficiency.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe, who proposed the amendment, said, “In relation to new builds, there are a lot of builders who no longer put gas into their buildings. That is a good thing. Councils have taken a view on the issue and some are choosing to do that as well.”

However, she added that banning new gas connections was not a priority for the NSW government.

The amendment was also defeated with 15 in favour and 23 against.

The Victorian government has banned gas hot water systems from 2027. This will require residents to replace end-of-life appliances with an electric hot water device.

The City of Sydney also voted on June 23 to ban gas appliances in new properties from Dec. 31, 2025. The ban was moved by Greens councillors.