Wednesday, 4 February 2026

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:59): (2279) My adjournment matter is to the Minister for Energy and Resources concerning the imminent disconnection of compressed natural gas to a number of townships. Of the 10 regional communities impacted, the majority are within my electorate of Northern Victoria. They include Heathcote, Kerang, Maldon, Marong, Nathalia, Robinvale and Swan Hill. I recently met with the Marong Community Action Group and local residents who are very distressed. I have also heard from the Nathalia CNG Action Group, who have also expressed concern. They said residents who had connected to the CNG network awoke to the unexpected news that their gas supply was going to be shut down and the usage and supply tariffs were being increased by 50 per cent – no warning, no discussion, no communication, no compensation.

The planned disconnection of their gas supply is having significant financial and emotional consequences on local households. Last year Solstice Energy announced it would stop supplying gas to homes and businesses by the end of 2026. This decision flew in the face of the Labor government’s 2015 Energy for the Regions program, where they promised to deliver natural gas to Victoria’s regions. Hundreds of residents are impacted, including families, older residents and people on fixed incomes. They are being told they must transition away from gas; the estimated cost varies, but it gets to around $20,000 per household depending on what the needs are in that household. It is a figure that is simply unaffordable for many, particularly in this current cost-of-living crisis. Residents are distressed to find that they are expected to foot the bill themselves despite having entered into gas supply arrangements in good faith. Adding to this concern is a changing and uncertain rebate system. The rebate available is not a fixed amount set by the government but instead is based on market pricing and contractor quotes, so the rebate can vary between contractors, leaving residents with inconsistent outcomes and no certainty about what financial support they will receive. There were concerns raised about the role of state government and Regional Development Victoria, because they signed a 20-year contract for the gas infrastructure, and yet here we are. They have cut that contract short halfway through its term, leaving residents bearing the consequences. Community feedback indicates that some residents are yet to make a final decision; there has been a lot of confusion.

The action I seek from the minister is to take responsibility for the decision and urgently intervene in the gas disconnection process, provide clarity and transparency around the number of residents impacted, review the inconsistent rebate model and fully compensate residents for the cost of transitioning away from compressed natural gas. The state government committed to continuing this program in 2015, yet now they have ripped up the contract and they are leaving residents to pay the consequences.