‘Where does it stop?’: Removing merchandise for Australia Day ‘a problem’

Drakes Supermarket Director John-Paul Drake has criticised Woolworth’s decision to cancel Australia Day as “the problem” of Australia’s duopoly and asked where companies cancelling days will “stop”. Mr Drake says his responsibility as a retailer is to provide customers with the ability to choose products they want, and has accused Woolworths of taking away customers’ choice to celebrate Australia Day. “This is the problem we face in this country about the duopoly having so much power,” Mr Drake told Sky News host Peta Credlin. “It’s really about choice, and, for us, it’s up to us as a retailer to be able to provide the products, whether the days are important to some people or not. “Where does it stop? Is Easter no longer important? “For me, as a very proud Australian, we want to make sure that we are celebrating Australia Day … we want a day that people aren’t embarrassed to celebrate Australia Day.”