Petition to Wollongong City Council: Protect Community Health, Electrify Now! 

SIGN THE PETITION HERE: https://forms.office.com/r/gsYuQ3Bs0C

This year Healthy Cities Australia has been working with the Electrify My Council campaign and community organisers in Wollongong to call on Wollongong City Council to join the movement of councils across New South Wales that are banning gas connections in new buildings to protect human health. 

Burning fossil gas in our homes is bad for our lungs, with a growing scientific evidence showing that the pollution from gas appliances is associated with an increase in respiratory symptoms in children. A recent Australian study found that gas stoves contribute up to 12% of the childhood asthma burden. Furthermore, appliances that run on fossil gas are more expensive than all-electric ones, as shown by groups like Electrify Australia. In a climate emergency like the one we are facing now, an emergency Wollongong City Council declared in 2019, it makes no sense to keep building homes that rely on dirty fossil fuel sources like gas. All-electric homes can be powered with clean energy, helping to address the growing threat climate change poses to our health. 

At the Wollongong City Council meeting on 5 May this year, Healthy Cities Australia joined more than 50 community members outside the council offices to call for changes to Wollongong’s Development Control Plan that would require new buildings to be all-electric without gas appliances. Health Promotion Officer Alexander Brown addressed the meeting, urging councillors to act to address the public health risk posed by gas and place pressure on the NSW Government to enact a statewide ban. Many Wollongong City Councillors recognised the need for regulation in this area. 

We know that Councillors and Council staff are aware of the issues and are considering implementing tighter development controls later this year. We want to keep the pressure up to make sure that intention translates into action. That’s why we have initiated a petition calling on Wollongong City Council to join with fellow NSW councils to ban new gas connections and take a positive step towards electrification. 

Please lend us your support by signing the petition, so we can present this at the Council Meeting on 28 July. If you would like a physical copy so that you can collect signatures yourself, please get in touch with Alexander on 02 4283 811 or by emailing alexander@healthycities.org.au 

SIGN THE PETITION HERE: https://forms.office.com/r/gsYuQ3Bs0C