Pauline Hanson joins Peter Dutton in hitting out against major retailers over Australia Day merchandise

Pauline Hanson has slammed retailers, as Peter Dutton urged shoppers to boycott Woolworths over its decision to scrap merchandise ahead of Australia Day.

Hardware giant Bunnings has been dragged into the furore over Australia Day celebrations, as Woolworths faces boycott calls over the supermarket giant’s decision to scrap merchandise ahead of the national day.

Peter Dutton slammed the supermarket’s decision as an “outrage” and urged chief executive Bradford Banducci to reverse the call that is “embarrassing” his employees.

“I think it’s up to customers, whether they want to buy the product or not … But I think people should boycott Woolworths.

“I think until we get some common sense out of a company like Woolworths, I don’t think they should be supported by the public.”

Pauline Hanson has also slammed big business, saying they “hadn’t learned the lesson” from the defeat of the Voice referendum last October.

Senator Pauline Hanson has lashed out at Woolies and Bunnings over Australia Day. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Bunnings says it’s up to individual stores about how they mark Australia Day. Picture: Supplied

“Big business in Australia appears to be completely out of touch with the rest of us,” Senator Hanson said.

“Just because businesses like Bunnings and Woolworths command virtual monopolies does not give them the right to dictate to Australians ... how or when we can celebrate the founding and success of our country.
“These businesses do not get to decide our national day on 26 January is offensive.”

Senator Hanson said a Bunnings employee had told her staff had been instructed “to wear no items associated with celebrating Australia Day because it might offend someone”.

Bunnings spokesman Ben Camire told Daily Mail Australia there was no company-wide order to do so, but “our stores are free to mark Australia Day in a way that’s right for them and their local communities”.

Woolworths on Wednesday confirmed no additional Australia Day-themed merch would be sold in its supermarkets or Big W stores for this year’s public holiday.

“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,” a spokesperson said.

Peter Dutton slammed the supermarket’s decision as an “outrage” and urged chief executive Bradford Banducci to reverse the call that is “embarrassing” his employees. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The brand is facing calls for a boycott over its decision. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“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 joins Kmart in no longer stocking the items, with the discount retailer making a similar announcement in 2023.

Mr Dutton described Mr Banducci as being “very forward leaning” during the Voice debate and accused him of making “stupid decisions” to please Anthony Albanese

“I think the Prime Minister frankly needs to call it out,” Mr Dutton said.

“Because these CEOs do believe that by making these crazy decisions, somehow they’re signing up to the woke agenda of Anthony Albanese and pleasing the union bosses and the Super Funds who invest into these big companies.

“I think the customers should have the final say here. And that’s why I think people should take their business elsewhere.”

When asked, Mr Albanese said his main focus was on “making sure that supermarkets do the right thing by their customers at the checkout”.

“What I’d say to Australians is that Australia Day is a day in which you should buy Australian – buy some of that wonderful lamb,” he said.

“It’s a day in which we can give respect to First Nations people and acknowledge that it’s a difficult day for them, but it’s also a day in which we can reflect on what it means to be an Australian and how we can make the greatest country on Earth even better in the future,” he said.

Coles has confirmed it will continue to sell Australia Day merchandise.

Novelty Australian flags are sold year-round at Woolies and BIG W, but a Woolworths Group spokesperson confirmed no additional merch would be sold in physical stores. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Woolworths Group cited a gradual decline in demand for merch. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“We are stocking a small range of Australian-themed summer entertaining merchandise throughout January which is popular with our customers for sporting events such as the cricket and tennis, as well as for the Australia Day weekend,” a spokesperson read.

It comes as Some young Australians are also joining the chorus of those unhappy with the decision, with Tiktok commentator Carla Efstratiou slamming the decision.

“Australia Day is being phased out by big corporations and eventually by the government,” she claimed.

“(Woolworths) say it’s because there’s been a steady decrease in demand, but make no mistake, this is entirely thought through, it’s entirely planned.”

Ms Efstratiou called out what she described as a “double standard”, with Woolworths stores displaying ‘Happy Diwali’ signage in November.

“So (Woolworths) is okay with celebrating India’s biggest religious celebration, and I wholeheartedly support that,” she said at the time.

“But God forbid we put an Australian flag up or say ‘Happy Australia Day’ on January 26.”

Diwali is one of the largest holidays in India however, it is not solely an Indian holiday but a religious festival celebrated by Hindus worldwide.

The decision by Woolworths follows a campaign in recent years to change the January 26 date of Australia Day, which commemorates the First Fleet raising the British flag in Sydney.

Huge crowds come out each year in all capital cities to protest January 26. Unity. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

Indigenous groups often refer to January 26 as Invasion Day, signifying their belief that the arrival of colonisation on Australian shores also accompanied the deaths and oppression of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

University of Newcastle historian Professor Lyndall Ryan estimates that more than 10,000 Indigenous lives were lost in more than 400 massacres by settlers and British forces, with thousands more dying from diseases introduced by the new arrivals.

Conservative commentators lined up to criticise Woolworths over its decision, with Prue MacSween calling for a boycott of the brand.

“It’s time to voice our opinion of woke corporates who are offending us. Hitting them at the cash register is the best way to do it,” she said.

“They haven’t got a conscience when they rip primary producers and Aussie suppliers off and of course us at the cash register.”