4 December 2025
Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) strongly supports the Greens motion in the WA Parliament that would allow local governments to exclude gas connections from new residential and commercial developments, citing overwhelming evidence that gas appliances pose serious risks to public health.
Unregulated Indoor Air Creates Health Hazards
Alarmingly, Australia has no standards regulating indoor air quality. The landmark State of Indoor Air in Australia 2025 report found that indoor air quality is not adequately addressed in building codes or health strategies.
Yet, gas appliances regularly release harmful pollutants directly into homes, including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene. These substances trigger asthma attacks, cause respiratory irritation, increase cancer risk and can cause deaths.
Research demonstrates that gas cooking is responsible for approximately 12% of childhood asthma cases in Australia. Children living in homes with gas stoves face around 42% increased risk of developing asthma compared to those without gas appliances.
"As a doctor, I see children with asthma whose parents would never expose them to cigarette smoke, yet they haven't given their gas stove a second thought," says Dr Ben Ewald, a Newcastle-based GP and DEA member. "The reality is that having a gas stove increases a child's asthma risk by roughly 40%, comparable to living with household cigarette smoke."
Research shows that homes with gas stoves have nitrogen dioxide concentrations significantly higher than homes with electric stoves—with pollution spreading to bedrooms and lingering for hours after cooking ends.
Electric alternatives like reverse cycle heating and induction cooking are not only healthier but also more cost-effective to run.
Beyond indoor air quality, gas drives climate change, creating broader health impacts through extreme weather events and worsening air quality during bushfires.
WA Can Lead the Way
While the ACT and Victoria have already banned gas in new homes, Western Australia has lagged behind. Sydney and several other councils in NSW have also banned or are planning to ban gas in new homes. This motion represents an opportunity for WA to catch up and prioritise health by empowering local councils to make decisions that protect their communities.
"Even with appropriate education of consumers, the risks associated with indoor gas use cannot be eliminated," states DEA. "For these reasons, Doctors for the Environment Australia supports the phase-out of gas burning appliances in homes."
ENDS
Contact: Dr Richard Yin, [email protected], Mob: 0403028067
About Doctors for the Environment Australia: Doctors for the Environment Australia is an independent organisation of medical doctors working to address diseases caused by damage to our natural environment.
References:
Miller W, Morawska L. State of Indoor Air in Australia 2025. QUT ARC Training Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection Transmission (THRIVE); 2025.
Kashtan Y, Nicholson M, Finnegan CJ, et al. Nitrogen dioxide exposure, health outcomes, and associated demographic disparities due to gas and propane combustion by U.S. stoves. Science Advances. 2024;10(18):eadm8680.
Knibbs LD, Woldeyohannes S, Marks GB, Cowie CT. Damp housing, gas stoves, and the burden of childhood asthma in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. 2018;208(7):299-302.
Lin W, Brunekreef B, Gehring U. Meta-analysis of the effects of indoor nitrogen dioxide and gas cooking on asthma and wheeze in children. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2013;42(6):1724-1737.