Victorian households are walking away from gas, but many are leaving the pipes behind. New data from the state’s three gas networks shows 66,700 homes had used no gas for a year or more by June 2026. Yet only 32,900 connections had been formally abolished since January 2023. It’s been dubbed “quiet quitting” gas: cancelling the retail account without arranging a full gas disconnection or choosing to abolish the gas connection.
If you’re planning to go all-electric in Victoria, how you leave gas matters. A dormant connection is still a live, pressurised line on your property. And the cost to abolish a gas connection is set to rise under new national rules. This guide explains what the new data shows, why so many homes stop halfway, and how to quit gas properly while it’s still relatively cheap.
Quick summary
- About 66,700 Victorian homes have stopped using gas but are still connected, roughly two for every connection formally removed since 2023.
- Cancelling your gas account stops the bills, but only an abolishment permanently removes the live gas line to your home.
- New AEMC rules will make abolishment cost-reflective, so leaving gas properly is likely to cost less now than later.
What the new Victorian gas data shows
The figures come from data Victoria’s gas distributors (AusNet, Multinet and Australian Gas Networks) must now publish under a 2026 Ministerial Order. It covers about 2.25 million residential connections, effectively every gas household in the state.
Gas use is falling much faster than connections
Household gas use fell 26% from 2020 to 2025, or about 22% after adjusting for weather. Over the same period, active residential connections still grew 4%. About two-thirds of recent growth came from just a dozen new-estate postcodes.
Dormant connections are surging
Homes that have used no gas for 12 months or more rose 62% between January 2023 and June 2026, reaching 66,700. In 2025-26, more Victorian households disconnected from the gas network than connected, for the first time.
VEFN notes a dormant connection isn’t proof a home has gone electric, since vacant homes and rebuilds are counted too.
Expert tip
Check your last few gas bills. If most of the cost is the daily supply charge rather than gas used, you’re paying to stay connected to a network you barely use.
Why are households quiet quitting gas?
Most households that go all-electric cancel their gas account but never abolish the connection. Three things drive this:
- They don’t know there’s a difference. Disconnecting, capping and abolishing sound similar but mean very different things.
- Abolishment costs money. It carries a fee and needs the distributor to do the work, while cancelling an account is quick and usually free.
- Nothing prompts them to finish. Once the bills stop, there’s no reminder.
Expert tip
When you call your retailer, use the word “abolishment”. Asking to “disconnect” or “cancel” usually gets you a temporary disconnection, which leaves the connection in place.
Is a dormant gas connection a problem?
A dormant connection is a live gas line that nobody is using, billing, or regularly checking. For homeowners, leaving it in place can mean:
- A live line on your property. Gas is still in the pipe up to your meter, even though you no longer need it.
- Loose ends when you sell or renovate. Buyers, builders and plumbers may have to deal with a connection you thought you’d left behind.
- A bigger bill later. The cost of abolishing a connection is set to rise as national rules change.
There’s also a wider cost. Network maintenance gets spread across fewer paying customers as people leave, which pushes up bills for those still on gas, often renters and households who can’t yet afford to switch.
Expert view
“Households are leaving gas quietly.” John Godfrey, facilitator of the Victorian Energy Future Network, has warned that unmonitored service lines become a growing problem as more homes electrify.
Expert tip
If you’ve removed every gas appliance, treat abolishment as the last step of your electrification project, not an optional extra. Budget for it alongside your heat pump or induction cooktop.
How to abolish your gas connection in Victoria
Finishing the job takes three steps. The Victorian Government also explains the options in its guide to disconnecting from fossil gas.
1. Remove or cap your last gas appliance
Get a licensed gas fitter to cap the internal line when your last appliance comes out. Doing both in one visit avoids a second call-out fee.
2. Ask your retailer for an abolishment
Your retailer passes the request to your distributor, which is AusNet, Multinet or Australian Gas Networks in Victoria. The distributor removes the meter and cuts the service line from the gas main.
3. Keep the paperwork
Save confirmations and invoices as proof the connection has been fully removed. This helps when you sell or renovate.
For costs and processes in every state, read our guide to how to cancel your gas connection in Australia, state by state.
Expert tip
Not sure who your distributor is? It’s printed on your gas bill, usually near your meter number (MIRN). Have it ready when you call your retailer.
Will abolishing your gas connection cost more in future?
Yes, it’s likely. Victorian households currently pay a regulated upfront fee to abolish their connection, with the rest of the cost shared across all gas customers.
In April 2026, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) made a final rule on customer-initiated gas abolishment. It requires customers who abolish their connection to pay a cost-reflective charge, meaning closer to the full cost of the work.
The change won’t happen overnight. It is tied to each network’s regulatory period, and Victoria’s current arrangements are reported to run until 2029.
Expert tip
If you plan to go all-electric within the next few years, abolish your connection as soon as your last gas appliance is gone. Waiting could mean paying the full, unsubsidised cost.
Ready to go all-electric?
Quitting gas is easier when your home runs on electricity, and cheaper when that electricity comes from your own roof. Get free quotes on solar, batteries and heat pump hot water from trusted installers.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to abolish a gas connection?
Abolishing a gas connection means your distributor permanently removes the service, so gas can no longer flow to your home without a brand-new connection. It usually involves cutting the service line at the gas main and removing the meter. It differs from a disconnection, which only stops supply and can be reversed.
Is cancelling my gas account the same as disconnecting?
No. Cancelling your account with a gas retailer stops your bills, but the physical connection stays in place, and the pipe to your meter stays pressurised. To leave the network fully, ask your retailer to arrange an abolishment with your distributor, which in Victoria is AusNet, Multinet or Australian Gas Networks.
How much does it cost to abolish a gas connection in Victoria?
Victoria currently has a regulated upfront abolishment fee, with the remaining cost shared across all gas customers. Fees are reviewed regularly, so confirm the current price with your retailer before booking. Under new AEMC rules, Victorian abolishment charges are expected to become cost-reflective, and likely higher, in future regulatory periods.
Is it dangerous to leave an unused gas connection?
An unused connection still holds gas under pressure up to your meter, but it is no longer monitored or billed. That makes it a loose end rather than an immediate hazard. If you have removed all gas appliances, abolishing the connection is the safest long-term option and avoids complications when you renovate or sell.
Do I have to get off gas in Victoria?
Not yet for most existing homes. From 1 January 2027, new homes must be all-electric. From 1 March 2027, an end-of-life gas hot water system must be replaced with an efficient electric option such as a heat pump. Gas cooktops and heaters in owner-occupied homes are not affected under the current rules.
Key takeaways
- Victorian household gas use fell about 22% (weather-adjusted) from 2020 to 2025, even as connections grew 4%.
- About 66,700 Victorian homes had used no gas for a year by June 2026, roughly double the 32,900 connections abolished since 2023.
- Cancelling your gas account stops the bills but leaves a live, pressurised line to your home.
- Abolishment is the only way to fully leave the gas network, and you request it through your retailer.
- New AEMC rules will make abolishment cost-reflective, so acting sooner is likely to cost less.
Sources
- AEMC final rule on retail customer-initiated gas abolishment (Australian Energy Market Commission)
- Victorian Government Gazette, 2026 Ministerial Order (State of Victoria)
- Disconnecting from fossil gas (Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action)
- Household gas use is falling much faster than connections (Renew Economy, reporting VEFN analysis)
- How to cancel your gas connection in Australia, state by state (Energy Matters)
