Human rights, Uyghur organisations and trade unions are calling on the Australian Senate to back legislation banning the importation of goods made with forced labour. 

The Senate will today debate the Customs Amendment (Banning Goods Produced by Forced Labour) Bill 2021, which would prohibit the importation of any goods made in whole or part by forced labour, regardless of geographic origin. The Bill could be voted on as early as today.

The proposed legislation, introduced by independent Senator Rex Patrick, seeks to implement a bipartisan, unanimous recommendation made by the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in an inquiry report released in June this year. Following chilling testimony of mass internment and forced labour by Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China, the Committee recommended the introduction of ‘a global ban on the import to Australia of goods produced by forced labour’, alongside other measures to ensure effective enforcement of the ban. Similar legislation has been introduced in the US and Canada. 

The Human Rights Law Centre, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Womens’ Association and Be Slavery Free have all backed the ban. They have also called for the government to implement additional accompanying measures to ensure the legislation can be robustly enforced, including investigative powers and resourcing for Australian Border Force, an open referral mechanism, publication of customs data, and a rebuttable presumption that goods be detained where evidence reasonably indicates forced labour.  

Ramila Chanisheff, President, Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Womens’ Association:  

“We urge senators to support this Bill and take meaningful action against slavery. The industrial scale at which Uyghurs are being held in internment and labour camps means immediate action on this issue is needed. We do not have a single member that has not been personally affected by the gross human rights violations on family or friends in East Turkistan, also known as Xinjiang. We ask the Australian government to ban goods made with forced labour and to ensure enforceable processes and penalties are in place urgently.”

Michele O’Neil, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions: 

“The Morrison Government can and must take immediate action against slavery and the businesses which profit from it. This is a matter of upholding the most basic human rights and doing whatever we can to end forced labour wherever it occurs. There is no possible defence for standing in the way of this bill. We congratulate Senator Rex Patrick for his leadership on this important issue.”

Freya Dinshaw, Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre:  

“No business should profit from slavery. This Bill aims to ensure that this principle can be enforced in practice. Most Australians would be horrified to know there is nothing in place to stop goods made with forced labour in places like Xinjiang ending up on Australian shelves. We want to see a robust imports regime introduced that places the onus back onto importers to show their goods are slavery-free. We urge senators to back the Bill.” 

Carolyn Kitto, Co-Director, Be Slavery Free: 

“We must not look the other way when such extreme violations of human rights are taking place. Australia was once regarded as a leader in addressing modern slavery. Now we are lagging. This Bill will take a giant leap towards ensuring Australia’s legislation and policies are more effective in addressing the risk of business involvement in human rights abuses.”

Media contact:

Evan Schuurman, Human Rights Law Centre, 0406 117 937, evan.schuurman@hrlc.org.au

Peter Green, Australian Council of Trade Unions, 0400 764 200

Carolyn Kitto, Be Slavery Free, 0438 040 959