Prominent Melbourne restaurateurs Chris Lucas and Nik Pouloupatis have joined a growing backlash against the Victorian government’s gas reforms, warning the policy could cripple small businesses and influence the next state election.
Thousands of restaurants are considering a one-day shutdown in protest of the plan to mandate fully electric systems in all new commercial buildings, including hospitality venues, from January 1, 2027.
The strike, organised by the Australian Restaurant and Café Association (ARCA), could cost the state up to $6 million in lost taxes.
Lucas, ARCA’s deputy chair, said the reforms posed a “serious threat” to the viability of the hospitality sector and could shape Premier Jacinta Allan’s political future.
“The next election will, in my view, be a referendum on these gas bans and our rights as citizens,” he said.
Pouloupatis, owner of Astoria Bar Ke Grill in South Yarra, said the shift to electric would strain tight margins and compromise traditional cooking methods.
“A lot of cuisines are heavily reliant on [gas], and probably won’t achieve the same flavours cooking over induction,” he said.
The government said it had consulted industry and had the support of the Australian Hotel Association, while noting that ARCA — mostly NSW-based — did not make a submission during the policy consultation.
Source: Herald Sun.
