2 June 2020

Unions are concerned workers are not represented on a new government-appointed modern slavery working group, which is dominated by business leaders.

[...]

ACTU president Michele O'Neil said the group needed worker representation to get any meaningful outcome.

"Any advisory group set up to understand and combat the scourge of modern slavery must have a place for workers at the table," she said.

"Unions deal with the issues of labour exploitation every day and it's workers in the end who are victims of this insidious trade."

The Migrant Workers Centre says the government has deliberately "stacked" the group to exclude the voices of working people.

"If the government was genuine about its attempts to end modern slavery, it would listen to the advice of migrant workers and their advocates," the centre says.