Not only is today the 20-year anniversary of the Sydney Olympic closing ceremony, it is also the first National Buy Aussie Day.

On October 1, the campaign calls on Australians to support the country’s 2.2 million small businesses.

Grant Hackett, Olympic champion and national ambassador for Buy Aussie Day, told Neil Mitchell “it’s more important now than ever” that Australians support their local businesses.

“We are encouraging Australians who are out there shopping and buying goods to focus on Australian-made products,” he said.

“The message is a bit more front and centre, especially with what this country has gone through in the last 12 months.

“We have watched companies, who previously made a lot of revenue, just fall off a cliff because of the impact of lockdown and restrictions.

“There is a whole flow on effect in all of this, if we buy Australian-made goods and support Australian businesses we are also supporting jobs in Australia.”

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Image: Sandra Dukes / Getty