Move to combat Modern Slavery
12 July 2018
In June, the Australian Government introduced into Parliament Australia’s first federal Modern Slavery Bill, a move welcomed by the Law Council.
The Law Council has been supportive of the establishment of a Modern Slavery Act in Australia, particularly the inclusion of reporting requirements.
The Law Council expressed disappointment that the proposed Bill does not include:
- An Anti-Slavery Commissioner to provide guidance and a mechanism through which concerns regarding company operations in relation to human rights violations or modern slavery may occur;
- Penalties for non-compliance with the legislation; and
- Access to a national redress scheme for victims of modern slavery.
The proposed Modern Slavery Bill contains provisions for supply chain reporting that encourages certain entities, with an annual consolidated revenue of more than $100 million, to report on modern slavery risks in their supply chains.
The Law Council supports the inclusion of provisions for supply chain reporting, however would prefer to see the proposed revenue threshold for reporting requirements set no higher than $60 million, rather than the currently proposed $100 million.
Last Updated on 04/10/2018