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Bunnings has revealed stores are free to choose to celebrate Australia Day however they wish following concerns raised by One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson.
The senator recently claimed she spoke to a Bunnings employee who had been told not to wear items celebrating Australia Day.
Since then, Ms. Hanson has clarified that Bunnings has been in contact with her to explain its position, and she appreciated the company reaching out.
The country’s biggest hardware and garden centre chain, owned by Wesfarmers, told The Epoch Times stores are free to celebrate Australia national day how they choose.
Director of Store Operations Ben Camire said, “We recognise that Australia Day means different things to people across the community and we always want to ensure we respect those views.”
“Consistent with the approach we’ve taken previously, our store teams are free to mark Australia Day in a way that’s right for them and their local communities.
“In the past, some of our stores have chosen to display the Australian flag alongside the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander flags, and others have run team and customer activities.”
Bunnings revealed it has not provided any direction to stores on what staff can wear for Australia Day.
The company does not offer a dedicated Australia Day product range, but this has been the case for several years at least because it is not part of its usual offering.
On Jan. 11, Ms. Hanson revealed a Bunnings employee had informed her staff were not allowed to wear Australia Day items.
“Today I was in a Bunnings store, where an employee told me staff had been instructed to wear no items associated with celebrating Australia Day because it might offend someone,” Ms. Hanson said.
This picture shows the Opera House illuminated in the colours of the Australian flag in Sydney on Australia Day on Jan. 26, 2023. Robert Wallace/AFP via Getty Images
However, on Jan. 12, Senator Hanson issued a new press release stating that Bunnings had reached out to her to discuss the situation.
Ms. Hanson said Australia Day should be about “national pride and unity” rather than shame and division.
“I appreciate Bunnings reaching out to me and saying there was no direction from the business to stores that staff must not wear such items on Australia Day,” she said.
“Bunnings have told me their stores are free to mark Australia Day in a way that’s right for them and their local communities. While their qualification of responsibility gives me some pause, I appreciate the company’s response.
“I appreciate it because like so many other Australians I have had enough of the attacks on our people, our institutions, and our traditions by woke activists and the governments and corporations who foolishly accommodate these attacks. Australia Day should be a day of national pride and unity.”
The latest news comes after supermarket giant Woolworths confirmed it would not be selling any products for Australia Day head of a national public holiday on Jan. 26.
“While Australian flags are sold within Big W all year round, we don’t have any additional themed merchandise available to purchase in-store in our supermarkets or Big W ahead of Australia Day,” Woolworths previously told The Epoch Times.
Dutton Calls for Woolworths Boycott
This led to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton calling on Australians to “boycott” Woolworths in response to the move.
“I think Australians should boycott Woolworths. I think Brad Banducci (the Woolworths CEO) should come out and announce that he’s reversing the decision,” Mr. Dutton said.
“I think the prime minister, frankly, needs to call it out because these CEOs do believe that by making these crazy decisions, somehow they’re signing up to the woke agenda of Anthony Albanese.”
In response, Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt accused Mr. Dutton of “engaging in a culture war.”
“Our government is focused on the prices that supermarkets charge, Peter Dutton is focused on the kind of thongs that supermarkets sell.” Mr. Watt said.
The country’s third largest supermarket chain Aldi has also decided not to sell Australia Day themed products including slippers ahead of the public holiday.
Coles Will Stock ‘Small Range’ of Merchandise
However, Coles told The Epoch Times it is stocking a “small range of Australian-themed summer entertaining merchandise throughout January popular for the cricket and tennis and the Australia Day weekend.”
Conservative social media commentator Kobie Thatcher said, “Good to see Coles has Australia Day merchandise on their shelves. This is where I'll be doing my shopping on Jan. 26,” in a post to X that received 2,000 likes.
Woolworths claimed there has been a “gradual decline” in demand for Australia Day merchandise from stores in recent years, along with a “broader discussion” about Jan. 26 and “what it means to different parts of the community.”
“We know many people like to use this day as a time to get together and we offer a huge variety of products to help customers mark the day as they choose. Woolworths and Big W celebrate the best of Australia every day, and we’re proud to support the farmers, producers, and suppliers who work with us,” the supermarket chain said.
Monica O’Shea is a reporter based in Australia. She previously worked as a reporter for Motley Fool Australia, Daily Mail Australia, and Fairfax Regional Media. She can be reached at monica.o'[email protected]
