Australia’s peak plumbing industry body has called out the Victorian Government for pushing through new gas appliance banning legislation without proper community consultation.
The new laws, which came into effect on September 11 this year, effectively allow the government to ban all gas products in existing homes, including heaters, hot water systems and cooktops.
And while the government has promised a community consultation on the matter later this year before any bans are introduced, Master Plumbers have slammed the decision to pass the legislation prior.
They say the government’s newfound ability to bring in bans on gas appliances could potentially influence the consultation process – or mean collected feedback is ignored regardless.
In response, the organisation has now released the Your Home Your Choice factsheet in a bid to provide consumers with the pros and cons both for and against appliance bans and household electrification.
Master Plumbers’ CEO Peter Daly says the information would help homeowners make an informed opinion on their energy choices and needs and identify the hidden costs of switching off.
“Homeowners in more than 80 per cent of Victorian homes connected to mains gas deserve the right to make informed choices about whether converting to an all-electric home is right in their circumstances,” he said.
“The Victorian Government says that all households will save on energy bills by going all-electric, but in reality, no two homes are the same.”
Factsheet to help homeowners form opinion
Mr Daly says that until now, consumers could be getting conned by following information that needs to include some of the facts, with the government only communicating what it wants people to hear.
The factsheet aims to outline how Victoria’s proposed gas ban overlooks the diversity of individual household needs and discusses other options available.
It also discusses individual products such as heat pumps, which can be very efficient but are not always ideal for all homes, as well as the significant cost differences for some appliances, which can mean payback periods will exceed government rebate claims.
Household-specific reasons to stick to gas:
- Higher electricity costs in some regions
- Energy diversification in disaster-prone regions/ black-out hotspots
- Conversion costs may be too high
- Replacement electrical products inefficient for some home types
- Investment payback time
- Performance concerns
“While electric appliances may suit some, others may prefer to continue to use gas, especially when many people are very concerned about putting all their energy eggs in the one basket,” Mr Daly said.
For those seeking electrification or gas advice tailored to their individual circumstances, Master Plumbers recommends having a conversation with your plumber to discover what’s best for your home.
“Plumbers are the energy experts with extensive experience in installing and maintaining appliances that heat our homes, provide hot water and help us prepare food,” Mr Daly said
“Plumbers provide trusted independent advice about both gas appliances and electric appliances (such as heat pumps) and can help consumers to understand the pros and cons of each and the actual cost of switching.”
