The regulation to prevent new gas network connections is a significant change for the ACT community. The electrification of our city is a change that will happen over time, but we need to start now by preventing new sources of fossil fuel gas use.
We asked for your help to design a regulation for the prevention of new residential and commercial gas network connections, so we can make sure the regulation considers the impacts of a change like this for ACT homes, businesses, industry and community groups.
Public consultation is now closed. For more information on what was heard during the consultation period, you can read the Listening Report and Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report outlining what we heard during the consultation period.
The purpose of this consultation was to:
The Issues Paper outlines a preferred position of an initial regulation prohibiting all new fossil fuel gas network connections in residential and commercial areas across the Territory. This approach would allow continued connections in industrial areas until a further regulation was made.
The preferred approach would use the Territory Plan zones to determine whether the regulation applies and would create a process for seeking an exemption from the regulation.
The ACT Government plans for a regulation to commence in November 2023 (or as soon as practicable thereafter), and feedback on transition, implementation arrangements and exemptions is sought.
The key issues we have identified and sought feedback were:
Consultations closed on 20 April 2023.
We welcomed all members of the ACT community to have a say on the new regulation.
You can listen to some of the ideas and feedback in a number of ways, including:
A Listening Report and Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report is now available. The reports highlight key ideas that were heard from the community as part of consultation activities.
The ACT community contributed to the consultation by:
A community webinar was held on Tuesday 14 March 2023.
The webinar provided the opportunity for the community to find out more about the proposed regulation, hear from a panel of speakers, and provide feedback on the key issues.
Panel speakers included:
A stakeholder webinar was held on Friday 17 March 2023. The webinar provided an opportunity for stakeholders to hear more about the proposed regulation, views from a panel of speakers and share their feedback on what is being proposed.
Panel speakers included:
We will use your feedback to help design and inform the new regulation. We will also use it to help us develop the ACT’s Integrated Energy Plan, which will guide our transition towards full electrification, which is anticipated to be implemented in November 2023 (or as soon as practical thereafter).
We would like to highlight that this consultation is the first stage in ACT’s journey to electrifying the Territory, and is specifically focused on the regulation to prevent new gas connections.
We understand that the community is deeply interested in the broader energy transition and providing feedback on that. There will be an opportunity for you to have your say as part the bigger transition approach.
This is being captured as part of the development of our ‘Integrated Energy Plan’. The Government will release a draft integrated energy plan in 2023, that will outline the governments proposed pathway to electrification.
Community feedback will be sought on the draft plan.
The plan will have a focus on the following themes:
Community consultation on the Integrated Energy Plan is anticipated to commence in the second half of 2023.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
