If there’s one thing the Victorian Government’s gas policy has made clear – it’s that clarity isn’t the priority.
What started as a bold step towards cleaner energy – banning gas connections in new builds from 2024 – has quickly turned into a confusing game of exemptions, contradictions, and backpedals. While new homes are forced to go all-electric, existing homes can continue to operate on gas indefinitely. Landlords? They’re free to install gas appliances if the cost of switching is deemed “too high.”
It’s hard to blame the public for being confused. Harder still for retailers and manufacturers, who are now expected to pivot their entire business strategies based on vague announcements and shifting timelines.
For companies like our client Jetmaster – who provide heating solutions across both gas and wood categories – the uncertainty is more than just frustrating. It’s costly. Retailers are being asked to prepare for an energy future that still isn’t clearly defined. Should they invest in stock? Pivot to different product lines? What about customers who want to install gas in a renovation? Or homeowners replacing a failing system?
The answers are unclear – because the policy is unclear. You can’t expect an entire sector to evolve overnight, especially when the rules keep changing and the goals aren’t fully explained.
In the space of a year, we’ve gone from bold declarations to exemptions for landlords and mixed messages about how long gas will be supported in existing homes. In the meantime, industry is left in limbo, and customers don’t know what their options really are. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone.
And let’s not forget the reputational risk. When policy seems erratic, trust erodes. Retailers are on the front line, fielding questions they can’t answer, trying to reassure customers while navigating a government strategy that looks more like politics than planning.
What retailers need now is certainty. Not endless tweaks. Not reactive U-turns. Not headlines made before details are finalised.
At BossMan Media, we work closely with brands across the energy and building sectors. We see the pressure this kind of uncertainty creates – the lost opportunities, the extra costs, and the long-term planning that gets pushed to the backburner.
If Victoria is serious about a sustainable energy future, it’s time to bring industry into the conversation. A clear, consultative roadmap is not just helpful – it’s essential. Because without one, businesses aren’t just being asked to adapt.
They’re being asked to guess.
