NSW rejects Victoria's new home gas ban amid energy crisis

• By Avi Yemini

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NSW Premier Chris Minns has said New South Wales will not copy Victoria in banning gas connections for new homes.

The Daniel Andrews government announced on Friday that all no new homes from January 1 would be allowed to use gas for heating or cooking.

Andrews’ government claims the law will help Victoria reach its emissions target while saving householders $1000 a year.

But Minns said his NSW Labor government banning gas would only aggravate the existing energy crisis.

“We’re not pursuing that,” he told 2GB radio host Ben Fordham on Monday.

“The challenges in energy are serious in New South Wales. We’re facing a situation where we need gas for industry.

“We’ve also got baseload power that’s coming off in the next few years and not enough renewables coming into the system.

“I don’t need another complication or another policy change when the challenges ahead of us are so serious.”

Minn’s staunch view against banning gas contrasts with comments by his energy minister Penny Sharpe on Sunday.

Sharpe said electrification was “very much part of the solution” required to help NSW reach its emissions goals.

Minns insisted the situations in NSW and Victoria were different.

“Only seven per cent of emissions in New South Wales are as a result of gas,” he said.

“Victoria has double the amount of emissions as a result of gas than New South Wales does.”

He told Fordham that electricity was most cost-effective than gas but that householders should be allowed to make up their own minds.