Labor’s anti-gas agenda continues to punish regional families

Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, says the Allan Labor Government’s anti-gas agenda is stripping away choice, driving up energy bills, and punishing regional Victorians.

“Despite the Premier’s latest spin, Labor is doubling down on its ideological attack on gas, forcing families and businesses into more expensive and less reliable systems,” Ms Cleeland said.

Since 1 January 2024, Labor has banned gas connections for all new homes requiring a planning permit and for all new residential subdivisions, removing the option of gas entirely for families in new estates.

Labor has also:

• Quietly scrapped rebates for replacing old gas appliances with new ones, despite nearly 60 per cent of gas appliances being Australian-made, compared to fewer than 5 per cent of electric ones
• Rejected amendments from the Nationals and Liberals that would have protected gas cooktops in law
• Released a ‘Substitution Roadmap’ that forces households to replace broken gas heaters and hot water systems with electric alternatives, costing at least $4,700 per home

“Labor’s plan is not balanced, it is not affordable, and it is certainly not based on giving people real options,” Ms Cleeland said.

“These decisions are being made in Spring Street by city-based ministers, not by families in regional Victoria already struggling with rising costs.”

Ms Cleeland said forcing communities off gas and onto electricity-only systems was especially damaging for regional areas already facing an unreliable power network.

“In recent years, we have seen repeated electricity outages across towns like Benalla, Euroa and Nagambie,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Labor’s plan to ban gas only increases our dependence on an unreliable system that already fails too many people too often.”

AusNet, one of the state’s major power companies, has warned that Labor’s energy roadmap will increase infrastructure costs and put more pressure on household bills.

The roadmap establishes that:

• From 1 March 2027, new bans will extend to commercial properties, rental homes, and public housing.
• Labor still cannot guarantee gas supply to Victorian industries, putting local manufacturing, agriculture, and jobs at risk

“This is a reckless approach to Victoria’s energy future,” Ms Cleeland said.

“The government is ignoring the real-world impacts on families, farmers, small businesses and entire regional industries.

“Victorians deserve energy security, genuine affordability, and the right to make decisions that work for their homes and livelihoods.

“The Nationals and Liberals will always support energy choice and fight against top-down, ideological mandates from Labor that hurt regional communities.”