2 June 2020

A coalition of civil society organisations, unions and academics has called on the Department of Home Affairs to include union and human rights experts in the newly established Modern Slavery Expert Advisory Group to ensure workers' rights and not just the interests of business are at the centre of the Government's plan to eradicate modern slavery.

The Morrison Government announced the members of the Expert Advisory Group...revealing over half of the appointments were from large Australian companies. There are no representatives from either the Australian Council of Trade Unions, individual unions or civil society organisations. [...]

Michele O'Neil, ACTU President:

"Any advisory group set up to understand and combat the scourge of modern slavery must have a place for workers to at the table. Unions deal with the issues of labour exploitation every day and it's workers in the end who are victims of this insidious trade. In order for there to be a genuine and meaningful outcome from this process, workers and their unions need to be involved.

[...]

Keren Adams, Legal Director with the Human Rights Law Centre:

"Now, more than ever, as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, creating mass unemployment and heightened risks of labour exploitation, the need for the Government's approach to be informed by those working directly with workers at risk is critical. As it stands the advisory group is stacked with companies who are meant to be the subject of the new modern slavery laws, rather than organisations representing the interests of exploited workers. The Government must listen to human rights experts if it is to eradicate forced labour in supply chains."

Professor Justine Nolan, University of New South Wales Law and co-author of Addressing Modern Slavery (2019):

"Tackling modern slavery is an enormous challenge that requires collaboration. It should and must involve workers, as well as business, consumers, government and civil society. So far, the process of developing Australia's modern slavery laws has provided for input from a broad range of people and organisations. Going forwards, the Government must ensure its expert advisory group also reflects the diverse voices within this debate if it is to have legitimacy."

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