Lamb as well as lentils at Coast Logies
AN animal rights group is pushing for the Logies held on the Gold Coast this year to go vegan.
PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has urged TV WEEK Logies organisers to ditch meat and dairy for a plant-based menu during the annual awards night.
But organisers of the event, which sees big names such as Karl Stefanovic, Tracey Grimshaw and Waleed Aly attend, say they “won’t be considering a 100 per cent vegan menu this year”.
This is despite a number of international events opting to choose “cruelty-free’’ menus, including the BAFTAs in the UK and even the Oscars in America.
A PETA spokeswoman said the animal rights group hoped organisers would reconsider their stance, adding Gold Coasters were among the most likely to search for the term “vegan’’ on the internet.
According to Google Trends, Gold Coasters searched “vegetarian’’ more times than residents of any other Australian city and were ranked second when it came to the word “vegan’’.
In a letter to the Logies organisers, PETA wrote: “The growing number of Australian celebrities who have adopted a vegan lifestyle would likely also be delighted with the change.”
PETA claims more than 500 million land animals are killed each year in Australia.
A TV WEEK spokeswoman said although a vegan menu for all guests was not an option, guests were asked for their dietary requirements.
“Over the years our menu has included vegan options and a selection of vegetarian options,” she said.
“But we welcome any suggestions for great local vegan options we can share with guests travelling in from interstate.”
About 1000 people including a big line-up of stars will be at the Logies awards, to be held at The Star at Broadbeach in July.
A PETA spokeswoman said the organisation was happy to help with local dining suggestions and would provide a list of suitable options, but hoped the Logies organisers would reconsider.
“Especially since all guests at the BAFTAs in the UK were served a vegan starter,” she said.
“And following discussions with PETA US, top chef Wolfgang Puck increased the number of vegan options at the Oscars.”
A spokeswoman for The Star said it was up to the client to choose what food would be provided, but added a vegan menu would be feasible.
“Given the quality of our chefs and service staff, all with a proven ability to deliver events at scale, we can comfortably create all types of bespoke dining options,” she said.