ESSAY: ELIMINATING MODERN SLAVERY
Dr HELEN SZOKE, chief executive of Oxfam Australia, calls for a strengthening of Australia’s proposed Modern Slavery Act…
Disappointment over Australia’s ‘toothless’ anti-slavery law
Thomson Reuters Foundation Australia on Thursday became the latest country to tackle the scourge of modern slavery with proposed new legislation that campaigners instantly dismissed as toothless. A global drive to end slavery by 2030 has seen a rash of new laws, the release of landmark data and a UN call for action, with Britain’s […]
UK’s first anti-slavery chief set to leave landmark role
Thomson Reuters Foundation Britain’s inaugural anti-slavery chief Kevin Hyland has resigned after almost four years, saying he was proud to have put the fight against slavery firmly on the national agenda but frustrated by government interference in his role. Mr Hyland, appointed independent commissioner in 2014 as part of Britain’s widely lauded Modern Slavery Act, […]
Australia urged to follow UK’s lead in adopting tough anti-slavery laws
Thomson Reuters Foundation Taking inspiration from Britain’s lead, Australia should introduce tough laws to root out forced labour from supply chains, compensate victims of slavery and appoint an anti-slavery commissioner, a parliamentary inquiry said on Thursday. Australia must also tackle so-called orphanage tourism – whereby children are abused or trafficked for profit – and better […]
Major companies fail to disclose slavery risks, say UK experts
Thomson Reuters Foundation Some of the world’s top brands including confectioners, jewellers and cosmetics giants, are failing to disclose slavery and trafficking risks in their operations and supply chains, British anti-slavery experts said on Wednesday. Under Britain’s 2015 Modern Slavery Act, all businesses with a turnover of more than £36 million must produce an annual […]
Christian leaders join in call for Modern Slavery Act in Australia
Australian faith leaders, including prominent Christian leaders, have joined in calling on the Australian Government to take the first steps to a Modern Slavery Act aimed at discouraging slave-like conditions in Australia and overseas. The call is contained in an open letter to the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull released late last week to mark a […]