A Step in the Right Direction for Healthy Urban Planning 

Healthy Cities Australia held a public meeting outside Wollongong City Council on Monday 5 May calling on the city to use its planning powers to mandate all-electric buildings in Wollongong. All-electric buildings have a number of health and economic benefits, including reducing exposure to indoor air pollution caused by fossil gas cooktops and heaters. 

The rally was attended by 50 people, and heard from representatives of Healthy Cities Australia, Electrify Illawarra, 350.org, Illawarra Knitting Nanas Against Greed, and Doctors for the Environment as well as community members. Councillors Andrew Anthony, Jess Whittaker, Deidre Stuart, and Kit Docker addressed the crowd, indicating their support for an all-electric mandate. With our songs, banners, and placards, the crowd attracted considerable attention on an otherwise quiet Monday night. 

The rally was held to coincide with Council’s May meeting, which considered community feedback received on the first draft of the DCP “Chapter A2 – Ecologically Sustainable Development”. Many community members stayed for the meeting, filling public gallery. Rachel White from Electrify Illawarra and Alexander Brown from Healthy Cities Australia spoke at the Public Access Forum in favour of adoption of Chapter A2, and called for the incorporation of controls requiring electrification. As Alexander explained, “There is clear scientific evidence that burning fossil gas inside our homes is harmful to our health. Numerous studies and meta-analyses have concluded that exposure to pollution from gas appliances causes respiratory symptoms. A 2018 study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, for example, attributed 12.3% of the childhood asthma burden to exposure to gas stoves.” 

Council received 54 submissions on the draft chapter, with 52 of those calling for strong action to require new buildings be fully electric. After reviewing these submissions, council officers clarified the content of the draft chapter. In a motion adopted unanimously by Council, a commitment was made that ‘subsequent review of relevant DCP Chapters will further consider controls relating to sustainability including all-electric development.’ 

HCA has been working closely with Electrify Your Council, 350 Australia’s campaign that focuses on achieving electrification mandates in all NSW local government areas. Five NSW councils, including Lane Cove, Waverley, Parramatta, Hornsby, and Newcastle have already moved to require all-electric new buildings. Many other LGAs are also looking at introducing a similar requirement. Electrify Your Council’s Council Tracker contains an up to date list of the councils that have implemented or are currently considering a gas ban. 

In addressing the Council meeting, Alexander Brown from Healthy Cities called on Wollongong to show leadership, observing that: 

“Wollongong City Council is a leading progressive municipality in New South Wales. Wollongong’s stance on this question will lend strength to the stance taken by many other Councils in NSW who are implementing evidence-based planning policy. It will show much-needed leadership to the State Government to enable them to join Victoria and the ACT in recognizing that the end of the fossil gas era is already here.” 

In the debate on the motion, most councilors expressed support for all-electric buildings in Wollongong. Council staff will now continue discussions with the NSW Government to ascertain the best planning options to achieve electrification for new builds.