A spokesman for Anthony Roberts, the NSW Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, on Thursday flagged changes that could open the door for more competition for gas customers in country areas.

There has never been more than one provider of reticulated gas in Wagga since the first gasworks opened more than 135 years ago in 1880.

Origin Energy supplies the gas and bills customers.

Glenfield Park resident and retiree John Wilson relies on natural gas for his hot water and heating, and like many others worries about higher prices.

Mr Wilson and his wife have been able to shop around to compare electricity prices, but whenever they ask about gas they are given the same answer: we don’t sell gas in Wagga.

“It angers me to think Wagga is the largest inland city in NSW and we have only one gas supplier,” Mr Wilson said. “We have relatives in Victoria who say they can change for better deals, and I think others states like Queensland and South Australia have been freed up.”

Mr Wilson wrote to member for Wagga, Daryl Maguire, asking if there were any plans by the state government to increase competition.

“Customers should be able to shop around for better prices and not have one company (Origin Energy) having the monopoly,” Mr Wilson wrote.

Mr Roberts’s spokesman said the government was considering deregulating retail gas pricing from July 1 next year on the condition there was a considerable increase in the level of competitive offers available to customers in regional NSW.

“Mr Roberts has written to key stakeholders – namely retailers and distributors –  alerting them to the NSW Government’s intention to deregulate gas prices from next year and encouraging them to develop offers for the market and increased competition for regional areas, such as Wagga,” he said.