7th Mar, 2023
Environment Victoria volunteers have been on the streets talking to their communities about methane gas.
From Bairnsdale to Ballarat, Clunes to Creswick, Moe to Mornington. We talked with Victorians at shopping strips, libraries and sporting clubs, via doorknocking homes, including social housing, and at train stations, markets and local events across the state. We had well over 500 conversations.
The responses were decisive. 83% of people we spoke to supported Victoria switching away from gas by 2035.
We then gathered these stories in a short report that we sent to Victorian MPs, you can read it here >>
see the full briefing paper here
Many Victorians we spoke to shared dramatic stories of gas leaks and explosions, asthma and respiratory problems, gas bill shock and stress from rising costs, and growing concern about climate impacts hitting locally and around the world.
Lynne shared how carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty gas heater had affected her and her daughter, read her story here >> While other people like Liz shared how they were already going all-electric, read her story here >>
People’s main concerns about gas were:
- 80% concerned about climate pollution from gas
- 56% concerned about gas companies making record profits at the expense of everyday people
- 54% concerned about the health impacts of burning gas in our homes
- 61% concerned about rising gas bills