Pauline Hanson has drawn Bunnings into the Australia Day debate, claiming staff at one store have been told not to carry merchandise to avoid ‘offending customers’.
The One Nation leader joined the chorus of criticism of Woolworths and Big W after the supermarket decided to stop selling Australia Day themed merchandise.
The retail giant joins Kmart, which dropped Australia Day items last year. Coles is still selling a ‘small range of Australian-themed summer items’ in January.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called on Australians to boycott Woolworths as a result of the decision – with Senator Hanson following up with a scathing statement on the supermarket and Bunnings.
“Big business in Australia seems completely out of touch with the rest of us,” Ms Hanson said. ‘(They) have not learned the lesson of the referendum.
‘Today I was in a Bunnings store where a member of staff told me that staff had been instructed not to carry items associated with Australia Day celebrations as this could offend someone.’
But Bunnings Store Operations Director Ben Camire told Daily Mail Australia that “our stores are free to celebrate Australia Day in a way that is good for them and their local communities” – which is “consistent with the approach we have previously taken have followed’.
Pauline Hanson has joined the chorus of criticism at Woolworths over its decision to stop selling merchandise on Australia Day this year
This means there is no official, countrywide position from the company to avoid carrying Australia Day merchandise, but there may be stores that choose to opt out.
“We recognize that Australia Day means different things to people across the community and we always want to ensure we respect those views,” Mr Camire said.
“In the past, some of our stores have chosen to display the Australian flag alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, and others have hosted team and customer activities.”
In 2021, a Bunnings store in Townsville faced a backlash after a flyer was distributed to staff asking them not to fly the Australian flag on January 26.
The One Nation Senator also took aim at Bunnings, claiming the retailer’s staff were instructed not to carry Australia Day merchandise to avoid ‘offending customers’.
There were reports when, after resistance, a new flyer was distributed that did not contain this provision.
Ms Hanson argued that companies like Woolworths and Bunnings with “virtual monopolies” have no right “to dictate to Australians how and when we can celebrate the founding and success of our country”.
“These companies should not decide that our national holiday on January 26 is offensive.”
She said Woolworths’ decision had offended her, “along with many other Australians born and raised here”, and revealed she would “reconsider where I shop from now on”.
“If there are people who find Australia Day offensive, they are welcome to find another homeland,” she said.
Ms Hanson is not the only high-profile politician to have slammed Woolworths over the controversial decision.
Mr Dutton took the extraordinary step of urging Australians to boycott Woolworths until the CEO reversed the decision.
“It’s up to the customers whether they want to buy the product or not… I think people should boycott Woolworths,” he said.
Australia’s largest supermarket, which also owns Big W, confirmed on Wednesday that all items associated with the January 26 celebration will not be on shelves.
A spokesman claimed there was no longer demand for merchandise, but Mr Dutton said CEO Brad Banducci appeared to be trying to “follow the mold of Alan Joyce” and impress Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Mr Joyce stepped aside as Qantas CEO in 2023 amid several controversies, including questions about his close relationship with the Prime Minister and a strong push for a yes vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum.
“Until we get the common sense out of a company like Woolworths, I don’t think they should be supported by the public,” Dutton said.
‘As we’ve seen with Alan Joyce and Qantas, it seems these CEOs are out to please the Prime Minister with these stupid decisions, and that doesn’t make sense to me.
“For Woolworths to take political positions to oppose Australia Day… is contrary to the national spirit. “I think most Australians just want to go to Woolies and do their shopping at the lowest price possible, as most are currently struggling to pay the bill when they get to the checkout.”
But Agriculture Minister Murray Watt hit back on Thursday afternoon, accusing Dutton of trying to reignite a culture war while the government wanted to “continue” to cut grocery bills.
“(We are) focused on things that really matter to Australians,” Mr Watt said. “Talking about what kind of products supermarkets sell, I don’t think that’s the priority that Australians have at the moment.”
‘It really shows what priorities Peter Dutton has.’
The retailer said “broader discussions about what January 26 means for different parts of the community” played a role in the decision
