Inconsistent regulation of gas disconnections and abolishment has led to uncertainty and unfair costs which discourage households from electrifying. As more households get off gas, we need to ensure the costs involved are minimised, fair and consistent, and regulations support wider measures for accelerated household electrification.
That’s why, as part of a larger strategy to update the gas rules, we’ve proposed important changes to the draft rule in our response to the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) Draft Determination on Establishing the Regulatory Framework for Retail Customer-Initiated Gas Abolishment, which responds to our own rule change proposal. These include:
- Clearer service definitions for disconnections that ensure safe works at minimum cost;
- including abolishment and disconnection reference services, with an equally consistent and robust framework applies for both, and;
- guaranteeing consumers can access unbiased, accurate and up-to-date information on gas disconnection and abolishment.
What’s next?
The AEMC will make its final decision on this rule in February 2026, and we are advocating for it to be implemented as soon as practically possible. We will continue advocacy on this and other gas regulatory measures as part of our wider priority to enable an equitable and sustainable transition away from gas which minimises costs to energy users facing barriers to electrification.
