Perth Voice Interactive

A PLAN to wean households off using gas as an energy source is in the pipeline at Bayswater council.

Cr Giorgia Johnson has put up the notice of motion as part of an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Victorian government banned new residential gas connections in 2024, arguing that home gas appliances are less efficient than those run on electricity.

Rather than a ban, Cr Johnson’s notice requests the council CEO put together a report “on possible options that will enable the community to transition from gas, including education, planning policies for new developments, and incentives”.

The preliminary report says “the reduction of gas connections across the city will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the city and help to achieve the net zero emissions”.

This new motion calling for education, policies, and incentives to go gas-free is slightly softer than a previous anti-gas motion that was voted down by Bayswater councillors in March 2023.

That more stern approach called for “effective actions… to prevent future gas connections to residential properties” but was lost with a 5/5 split vote.

While the previous motion attracted some critique at public question time, so far there’s only been one written deputation on the new proposal and it was heavily in favour. 

Kevin Mack is a member of the community not-for-profit group Electrify Bayswater, a project which stemmed from the main Sustainable Bayswater group to spruik the plusses of going off gas.

Mr Mack’s missive to council says “the electrification of our homes is the fastest way to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions”. 

The group’s ultimate goal is to get people to switch over to renewable energies, but Mr Mack said that getting away from gas is still a win: “If households replace gas appliances with efficient electric appliances, without solar panels or a battery, they will save an average of over $700 per year.” 

If councillors endorse Cr Johnson’s motion they’ll request a report with options for tackling the issue in time for their March 2025 meeting.

There’s ongoing debate in the energy field about the gas vs electrical efficiency question. There’s some cases where gas can come out as less polluting than electric – if the power is being sourced from a particularly old and inefficient coal-fired station, and provided the gas infrastructure doesn’t leak any potent climate-wrecking methane. The argument for electric gets far stronger as more of the electrical grid moves to renewable sources, and pro-electric campaigners fear gas appliances sticking around could slow the renewable march. 

by DAVID BELL