South Australia Keeps Old National Gas Rules for Gas Connections
National Gas (South Australia - Application of Rules) Amendment Bill 2026
House of Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Introduced by: The Hon Tom Koutsantonis MP (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Ben Hood LIB
“I rise today as the lead speaker for the opposition on the National Gas (South Australia - Application of Rules) Amendment Bill 2026, and indicate the opposition’s support. As members would be aware, South Australia occupies a unique position within the national energy framework.”
Cory Bernardi PHON
“This bill is uncontroversial in that it seeks to preserve consumer choice. South Australians should be able to choose the energy source that best suits their household or business. They should not have their choices restricted by regulation simply because governments or activists have decided that one form of energy is politically preferable to another.”
Melanie Selwood GRN
“From 1 October 2026, AEMC rule 119M will require newly connecting retail gas customers in South Australia to pay a cost-reflective connection charge up front. Currently, connection costs can be capitalised and recovered from the wider customer base over time.”
Carlos Quaremba PHON
“I rise to speak on the National Gas (South Australia - Application of Rules) Amendment Bill 2026. This bill aims to protect consumer choice and stop additional costs being imposed on households and businesses. It responds to looming changes made by the Australian Energy Market Commission shifting to up-front charges for connection to the network for certain gas distribution networks.”
Justin Hanson ALP
“As has been outlined I think pretty well by a few speakers, in December last year the Australian Energy Market Commission finalised some updates. Those updates have a pretty large impact on what we are discussing here because they affected the regulatory framework for gas connections.”
Tung Ngo ALP
“This bill proposes to amend the National Gas (South Australia) Act 2008 to enable South Australia to derogate, or to opt out, from the Australian Energy Market Commission’s National Gas Amendment, (Updating the regulatory framework for gas connections) Rule 2025 No. 4, schedule 1, rule 119M.”
Kyam Maher ALP
“I thank honourable members for their contributions on this bill. For the benefit of the committee process we are about to undertake I might preface it by saying that the government will not be supporting the Hon. Mel Selwood’s amendments.”