Perth Voice Interactive

LONG-time environmental campaigner Mary Gray has called on Vincent council to follow the lead of governments elsewhere who’ve taken steps to ban natural gas connections in future developments.

Ms Gray, who was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2022 for her many efforts to protect the environment and preserve urban bushland, put the degassing proposal to the Vincent council AGM on December 11.

“Action on climate change is needed by us residents and all levels of government, as gas is a fossil fuel and alternatives are readily available,” Ms Gray said.

“There is a need to encourage and incentivise removal of gas appliances from households and small businesses in the City of Vincent.”

Along with being incompatible with solar and other greener energy sources, Ms Gray says “gas appliances also emit pollutants – nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide – and these have human health impacts. This is especially relevant for children and asthmatics.”

Her motion calls on the council to require new developments or renovations not to have gas appliances. “This is actually being done in Victoria,” she says. 

“The city could provide incentives for householders and businesses to replace gas appliances with electric appliances.”

The ideas were supported unanimously. 

That means they’ll now be written up as formal proposals to go to Vincent council for a vote at a meeting in 2025. But the signs of a yes-vote are promising as the councillors present also voted in favour of Ms Gray’s idea, and Cr Jonathan Hallett added some supportive remarks.

Over at Bayswater, an attempt at a similar motion was proposed by councillor Giorgia Johnson was rejected by a split council last year (“Flicking switch to degas Baysy,” Voice, November 16, 2024). 

A milder motion to investigate “possible options that will enable the community to transition from gas, including education, planning policies for new developments, and incentives” was instead supported at Bayswater’s November council meeting.

by DAVID BELL