UN Special Rapporteur report spotlights gaps in Australia’s anti-slavery response

The Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Chris Evans, has welcomed the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata, and warned that it highlights the ongoing and urgent gaps in Australia’s anti-slavery response.

“Prof Obokata’s report confirms that, despite recent progress, significant blind spots remain in Australia’s response to modern slavery, and these gaps are leaving our most vulnerable populations at risk of exploitation” said Commissioner Evans.

The report follows the visit of Prof Obokata to Australia in November 2024.  The report echoes long-standing concerns about the low prosecution rate of slavery-related crimes, and particularly highlights the risks of exploitation among temporary migrant workers. It makes a wide range of recommendations to address these issues, including the much-needed and long-awaited national labour hire regulation scheme.

“I share Prof Obokata’s concerns regarding the ongoing exploitation of temporary migrant workers and other vulnerable groups by employers, labour hire companies and others” said Commissioner Evans, “As a first step, I am calling on the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments to swiftly progress efforts to establish a nationally-harmonised scheme to regulate the labour hire industry, to prevent rogue operators from exploiting our most vulnerable workers”.

The report also urges the Government to move ahead with its commitments to reform the Modern Slavery Act, including consultation on the introduction of a due diligence obligation.  The Commissioner said: “It’s time to move beyond reporting and require effective action from large businesses, in line with similar regulatory trends overseas.”

The Commissioner also welcomed the report’s recommendation that the Government improve supply chain transparency through public access to customs and trade data, and consider introducing a ban on the import of goods made with forced labour.

“Prof Obokata’s report reinforces that much remains to be done to protect vulnerable groups and prevent slavery from occurring in our own country, and in the operations and supply chains of Australian companies. Now is the time for collective efforts to address these gaps and achieve better outcomes for all workers and survivors of modern slavery.”