The Human Rights Law Centre is calling on the Albanese Government to strengthen our modern slavery laws and for strong, independent oversight through a new Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

No one should be threatened with violence, coerced, or abused at work. Australia’s weak modern slavery laws are allowing businesses to profit from abuse.

In Australia today, up to 41,000 people are estimated to be living and working in conditions of modern slavery. Globally, over 50 million people are subjected to modern slavery, with many making the clothing and products we use every day.

The Human Rights Law Centre is advocating for an end to this abuse.

This week, we are in Canberra calling on the Albanese Government to strengthen our modern slavery laws. We want to see requirements on companies to take action to address modern slavery, and penalties for those that do not. We want strong, independent oversight through a new Anti-Slavery Commissioner. 

Legislation to establish the new Commissioner is currently before the parliament. But it doesn’t go far enough. To address modern slavery, the Commissioner must have the powers and resourcing to drive real changes in corporate practices, including undertaking investigations, issuing penalties and supporting workers to seek redress.

We will call on the Albanese Government to do more to stamp out abuse and end modern slavery in the supply chains of Australian companies.