A prominent South Australian publican has claimed the price of the humble chicken schnitty could rise to as much as $40 — but not for the reasons you may think.
Rather than the price of chicken rising as production costs increase, it’s feared moves to cut emissions net-zero could have consequences for the pub favourite.
According to the Advertiser, Australian Hotels Association state president David Basheer told pub owners during an annual Christmas luncheon speech that the costs would rise if the SA government followed Victoria in phasing out the use of natural gas.
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“Natural gas is increasingly under siege,” Basheer, who owns the Strathmore Hotel in the Adelaide CBD, told the audience.
He warned the phasing out of gas in pub commercial kitchens could force a spike in the price of pub food such as the chicken schnitzel.
Starting January 1, 2024, the Victorian government’s “Gas Substitution Roadmap” will phase out new gas connections for newly built residential properties in the state.
Victoria, which builds over 50,000 new homes each year, will begin to phase out gas in an effort to “guide the state towards achieving net-zero emissions”.
“Modern induction cooking is efficient, convenient, and safe. It’s a healthier choice compared to traditional gas stovetops, as recent studies have shown potential health risks associated with gas cooking,” the state government’s website said.
However, Victoria does not look likely to stop gas stoves being installed in commercial kitchens.
And a spokesperson for SA Minister for Energy and Mining Tom Koutsantonis told The Advertiser the state government “has no intention whatsoever to ban gas connections”, as gas was needed to “firm up renewables” in the state.
