Australian shoppers are being encouraged to purchase from Australian small businesses today, the second annual National Buy Aussie Day.
The initiative formulated last year, is a 'call to arms' for Aussies to support businesses who have had two years of uncertainty, marked with COVID, lockdowns, border closures, fires, floods and more recently earthquakes and tornados.
This year, four-time Olympian and Australian flagbearer Cate Campbell is the face of the Buy Aussie Day campaign.
"As a proud Aussie, and with so many of my friends and family running Aussie businesses, I am so honoured to be involved with the second 'National Buy Aussie Day'.
"The past two years have been so challenging for us all on every level.
"So, let's make a conscious decision to shop Australian.
"The power is literally in our hands," she said.
Across Australia, there are 2.2 million small business, with the sector accounting for almost half of Australia's entire workforce.
Approximately five million Aussies are employed in the small business space, accounting for just under 60% of total employment growth in the private sector.
Additionally, small business makes up a fifth of Australia's entire National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and contributes to more than a third of all production across the country.
Buying Australian will have a huge impact, National Buy Aussie Day founder Chris White said.
"When small businesses thrive, so does the Australian economy, and therefore it follows that we create more jobs at home and profits stay here.
"I think we all want to look for ways to support each other right now and this is a simple mechanism.
"So, let's stop and shop Australian, and make it a permanent shopping switch," he said.
White added that he hopes the shopping day can become as big as some international shopping events and can bring manufacturing back on shore.
"In the way Singles Day in China and Black Friday in the United States have become landmark shopping days, we hope October 1 will be forever our National Shopping Day, supporting Aussie owned businesses producing Aussie made goods.
"For too long we have been relying on foreign nations when what we produce at home is among the best in the world.
"If we make conscious decisions in the way we shop then manufacturing can come back.
"Research continually shows that Australians prefer to buy Australian, so National Buy Aussie Day is a tangible opportunity for every one of us to make a real difference and support the businesses of our families and friends that are the real cornerstone of our national economy, and are struggling like never before," he said.