WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Sydney is banning gas barbecues.
OUR VERDICT
Misleading. The ban is on gas mains supply, and gas-bottle-fuelled barbecues are unaffected.
AAP FACTCHECK - A Sydney-wide ban on barbecues has not been imposed, despite claims on social media.
Recent changes to planning rules mean properties in central Sydney that are proposed after January 2027 cannot have gas connections for indoor or outdoor appliances.
However, there are no restrictions on barbecues powered by a gas bottle or charcoal.
"GAS BBQ BAN by weather Nutters," one post reads
"I'd like to see them police this lunacy," another post states.
The claim relates to a recent decision by the City of Sydney council, which covers the CBD and surrounding suburbs.
At its October meeting, councillors approved new planning rules as part of an ongoing push towards electrification.
The council had already approved a rule to restrict indoor gas mains appliances like cooktops and heaters in new residential developments from January 2026.
The new rules will extend this to cover outdoor gas appliances such as water heaters from January 2027.
Therefore, there will be no mains gas supply for an outdoor barbecue to attach to.
The new rules will also apply to new medium to large commercial buildings, hotels and serviced apartment buildings.
The rules do not apply to industrial premises.
A City of Sydney spokesperson told AAP FactCheck the council "does not have plans to ban the use of backyard barbecues and never has".
They confirmed that the restrictions will not apply to existing buildings, nor to barbecues using bottled gas.
"We do not know how many barbecues currently have mains gas connections, but in any case, the new rules do not affect existing arrangements," the spokesperson said.
Several regions of Australia have already moved to ban gas connections to new homes in the past few years, including Victoria and the ACT.
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, BlueSky, TikTok and YouTube.
