Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The issue I want to talk about tonight under the Home Affairs portfolio is a very important issue, and that's modern slavery. The Liberal Morrison government has taken a global leadership role in combatting modern slavery. Modern slavery describes situations where offenders use coercion, threats or deception to exploit victims and undermine their freedom. It includes human trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage and child labour. It robs women, men and children of their freedom and their rights with devastating consequences for victims, which, most of the time, is for their entire life.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased many of the risks of modern slavery, by increasing isolation affecting the capacity of individuals to access support services, causing loss of work and reduced income increasing workers' vulnerability to exploitation, and pressurising supply chains who rely on exploitive practices. The Liberal Morrison government has taken a worldwide leadership role in addressing modern slavery risks in its international supply chains through the enactment of the landmark legislation the Modern Slavery Act 2018. The act is the strongest legislation of its kind in the world. It requires commercial and charitable entities with over $100 million annual consolidated revenue to submit annual Modern Slavery Statements. These statements detail the entities' supply chain arrangements and measures taken to eradicate risks of modern slavery at each step in the chain.

The act includes landmark features such as clear mandatory criteria that businesses must address in their statements. It requires the Commonwealth government to report on modern slavery risks in its own procurement and investment activities through a Commonwealth Modern Slavery Statement. It established the world's first government-run online central registry to house statements and launched the registry in July 2020, with the first tranche of statements published in November 2020. To date, the Morrison government has published over 1,300 Modern Slavery Statements on the public-accessible, fully searchable online register representing more than 2,500 reporting entities. These statements demonstrate how Australian businesses are taking steps to tackle modern slavery in their supply chains and will be closely scrutinised by a range of stakeholders, including investor groups and civil society. November 2020 saw the Morrison government publish its own first statement to address modern slavery risks in Commonwealth procurement activities and investments. The register and copy of Modern Slavery Statements can be found at modernslaveryregister.gov.au.

In December 2020 the Morrison government further demonstrated the commitment to eradicate modern slavery by launching the National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery 2020-25. The national action plan is guided by five national strategic priorities that will focus efforts over the coming years. They include: prevent modern slavery by empowering vulnerable groups; deter predators by disrupting, investigating and prosecuting modern slavery crimes; support and protect victims and survivors; build partnerships with civil society, business, unions, academia and international partners; and foster research to support evidence based responses. The NAP was developed through extensive community consultation led by Australian Border Force, including a public consultation paper and 27 workshops with 44 civil society groups, academia and service providers across states and territories. Can I thank all of those who have been involved in developing the national action plan and for all their tireless efforts.

It was great news in the budget this year when $10.6 million of funding was committed over the next five years. There is $4.4 million for grant funding programs over five years to civil society organisations, business and academia to deliver projects to combat modern slavery in Australia. Successful recipients of the grant include Anti-Slavery Australia, Australian Red Cross, Global Compact Network Australia, Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and $4 million to fund capacity Australian businesses to respond to modern slavery. Again, can I thank Australian Border Force for all the great work they to in this space.

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