15 January 2026

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) welcomes the opportunity to provide a high-level response to the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) Draft Determination on customer initiated gas abolishment.

We recognise that the Draft Determination seeks to clarify arrangements for customers who wish to abolish their gas connection. This response draws on ASBEC’s established policy positions, as expressed in Every Building Counts and Unlocking the Pathway, as well as recent analysis[i] from consumer, equity and market bodies on the transition of gas networks. We support reforms that provide clarity and fairness. However, we emphasise that changes to retail and network arrangements must be designed to actively support – and not inadvertently slow – the energy transition, while protecting vulnerable consumers and reducing reliance on inefficient, individualised decision-making.

Our key recommendations are:

• Customer initiated gas abolishment arrangements need to actively support, and not slow, the transition to an efficient, electrified built environment
• Equity considerations are central, with strong protections for vulnerable consumers
• Regulatory settings recognise the importance of coordinated, planning-led approaches that reduce the burden on individual households.

ASBEC supports regulatory reform that provides clarity, fairness and certainty for customers seeking to abolish their gas connection. However, such reform must be clearly situated within the broader energy and built environment transition.

Read the full submission here