#ChangeTheDate supporters remain open for business 


Posted on 26 January, 2018

Belle Chadwick is joining a growing movement who will boycott a public holiday on Australia Day. 

The two businesses she owns with her husband Tim – Chadwick Designs and Cloth & Paper Studio – will remain open today, against the tradition of closing up shop and enjoying a few snags on the barbie come 26 January.

The decision was inspired by another interior design studio, Flack Studio in Melbourne, who protested Australia Day by remaining open on January 26 in 2017.

Wanting to operate her businesses at a high level of social responsibility, Belle’s made sure her staff members were both consulted about the decision as well as offered an alternative when it came to their day off.

Tim and Belle Chadwick

“We raised it with our staff and received their opinions, and we were very particular about not ostracising or isolating anyone with a differing opinion,” Belle explains. “We reached the conclusion that each member of the team can pick any day of the year they would like to celebrate Australia Day, and will be paid a public holiday rate accordingly.”

However, Belle explains that her staff were wholly supportive of the decision.

Belle says that she and Tim hope to provide a platform for their staff and others in the local Canberra community to have a conversation about something that is important to Australia. Belle also made sure to inform Cloth & Paper Studio and Chadwick Designs’ suppliers of their decision and received positive feedback from all seventeen, with a few even choosing to join her next year.

Tim and Belle support the #ChangeTheDate movement along with as many as a third of all Australians who consider January 26 the wrong day to celebrate our country’s achievements.

“It is crazy to be mute on social issues that are so important to you personally,” says Belle.

Belle at Chadwick Designs

This isn’t the first time Belle and Tim have used their business’ profile to shed light on social issues.

Earlier this year they hung fabric in the colours of the LGBTIQ* rainbow to show their support for marriage equality. In doing this, they received an overwhelmingly positive response from the community.

“We have consulted with other like-minded businesses here in the ACT and have worked with them to achieve good consensus for what we consider to be an important public protest,” says Belle.