Acknowledgements
Good morning and welcome to the 2024 Ministerial meeting of the National Roundtable on Human Trafficking and Slavery.
I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we meet today, and pay my respects to Elders, past and present. I also extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.
I thank the Honourable Justine Elliot MP, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, for joining me today to reaffirm the Australian Government's continued commitment to tackling modern slavery.
I acknowledge the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Honourable Penny Wong, who is represented today by Ms Lynn Bell, Ambassador to Counter Modern Slavery, People Smuggling and Human Trafficking.
I welcome back our guests, Dr James Cockayne, NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner, and members of the Australian Government-funded Survivor Advisory Council. I am pleased that people with lived experience of modern slavery are, again, actively leading and contributing to agenda items in today's program.
2024 was another big year in our fight to end modern slavery. Today, I am proud to reflect upon some of our significant achievements over the past year, and on the work we have yet to do.
Appointment of the inaugural Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner
A key election commitment for the Albanese Labor Government was the creation of a federal Anti-Slavery Commissioner as a new and independent body. At the last National Roundtable, I had just introduced legislation in Parliament to establish the Commissioner.
Happily, that legislation passed in May and now we have with us Mr Chris Evans, who formally commenced yesterday as Australia's inaugural Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
Welcome Chris.
I know you will be a powerful advocate when it comes to eliminating the scourge of modern slavery from our society. You bring years of experience not just as a cabinet minister but in senior roles at Walk Free, and you were heavily involved in the passage of the Modern Slavery Act in 2018. I note you have also been a member of this National Roundtable in years past.
I have no doubt your contributions will strengthen the national conversation about modern slavery, and bolster our collective efforts to end it.
I look forward to hearing from you directly shortly.
Strengthening the Modern Slavery Act
As many of you know, yesterday we released our response to the statutory review of the first three years of the Modern Slavery Act by Professor John McMillan AO.
The Government agreed in full, in principle, or in part, to 25 of the 30 recommendations in the report.
Many of these were in line with election commitments from our 2022 Tackling Modern Slavery package.
We have agreed to many of the recommendations made by Professor McMillan that were aimed at making the operation of the existing regime easier, including clarifying reporting obligations.
We will consult on a number of the more significant recommendations made in the report, including the introduction of civil penalties for failures to comply with the requirements of the Act, and on models for written declarations of a region, location, industry, product, supplier or supply chain regarded as carrying a high modern slavery risk.
While we will not be introducing new obligations for a due diligence system at this time, we will undertake consultations to determine what an enhanced set of requirements may look like. We know many businesses with global supply chains are already having to deal with due diligence requirements for modern slavery in other parts of the world and are looking for consistency.
We are also not proceeding at this time with lowering the reporting threshold for businesses from $100 million to $50 million, while the broader reform project is underway.
Although the government's response will no doubt spark discussion in this room I want to assure you that the government's commitment, and my commitment, to a stronger Modern Slavery Act is clear.
What this response gives us is a path forward, working with all stakeholders and the Anti-Slavery Commissioner, to reform. I look forward to embarking on that project in the new year.
Findings of the targeted review of Divisions 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code
Complementing this work to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act is the targeted review completed in 2023 of modern slavery offences in the Criminal Code.
This review, part of the National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery, is an important way to understand whether the criminal code offences remain fit for purpose.
I have agreed to develop legislative reform to further strengthen our criminal code offences, and improve the ability of police to tackle these crimes.
My department will commence targeted consultation on changes to the Criminal Code in due course.
Modern Slavery website
Yesterday - it was a busy day! - we launched the Commonwealth's new modern slavery website. Modernslavery.gov.au pulls together multiple resources in a user-friendly way for the first time. It will support community awareness of modern slavery - including warning signs and how to get help. The website provides a central hub of online information, tools and resources designed to help people experiencing or at risk of modern slavery, as well as those who want to help others.
This is important work which helps people on the ground. I thank all stakeholders who have contributed.
Engagement and empowerment of people with lived experience
Projects like this are enhanced by engagement with people with lived experience of modern slavery.
Four years ago, at the beginning of the National Action Plan, our primary engagement with people with lived experience was through civil society organisations, or directly through the criminal justice process and support services. In 2021, the-then government funded the Salvation Army's Lived Experience Engagement Program (LEEP) through the Modern Slavery Grants Program.
In 2023, survivors, including members of the LEEP's pilot Survivor Advisory Council were delivering keynote addresses and sessions at the Government's national Modern Slavery Conference. Over the last two years, people with lived experience have informed legislative reviews, policy development and program implementation.
Today, Council members will share their vision for strengthening survivor engagement into the future.
To support this endeavour, I am pleased to acknowledge my department's recent publication of the Modern Slavery Lived Experience Engagement and Empowerment guidance document. The guidance aims to promote safe and ethical engagement with people with lived experience and encourages their empowerment. I thank people with lived experience and stakeholders who worked together to develop this important guidance.
Practice Guidelines: Working with people in, or at risk of modern slavery
Similarly, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Working Group of the National Roundtable chaired by Professor Jennifer Burn AM, in developing Practice Guidelines: Working with people in, or at risk of modern slavery. These guidelines will update the Guidelines for NGOs: Working with Trafficked People to reflect the current modern slavery landscape and the need for best practice to identify and support those in or at risk of modern slavery.
Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery National Minimum Dataset
Data and evidence-based research is vital to our response to modern slavery. Without it we are working in the dark. Until recently, we have just not had enough information to properly target our efforts. But that has now changed, with Australia's first Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery National Minimum Dataset recently produced by the Australian Institute of Criminology.
The dataset delivers comprehensive information on the incidence and forms of modern slavery in Australia, sociodemographic characteristics of victim-survivors and perpetrators, support services and outcomes of modern slavery matters. The dataset will enable tracking of modern slavery reports through the criminal justice system to identify points of attrition, inform methods to detect, prevent and disrupt modern slavery, and enhance support for victim-survivors.
This data will help us tailor the work we do as a government to make better policy, and will also be of assistance to law enforcement. I thank the Australian Institute of Criminology for their efforts.
Enhancing protections and remedies for those in or at risk of forced marriage
In line with our commitment to eliminate gender-based violence, the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG) has embarked on some important work to enhance protections and remedies for those in or at risk of forced marriage. In December 2022, SCAG agreed to address forced marriage through a coordinated national response, including by developing a model to enhance civil protections and remedies for people in or at risk of forced marriage.
With the SCAG's agreement, the department has now published information about the outcomes of a recent eight-week national public consultation. The consultation explored the question of what a model for civil remedy would look like, and how we could build a shared understanding of forced marriage as a form of family and domestic violence. Thank you to those who participated in the consultation.
I am pleased to say that at our last meeting on 22 November, SCAG agreed to consider next steps at its first meeting in early 2025.
Report on state and territory victims of crime financial assistance schemes and their availability to victims and survivors of modern slavery
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the ongoing advocacy of the National Roundtable for Government to establish a compensation scheme for victims and survivors of modern slavery.
My department recently completed a report on state and territory victims of crime financial assistance schemes and their availability to victims and survivors of modern slavery. This work builds on extensive research by civil society organisations and academia. I thank the National Roundtable and members of the Survivor Advisory Council for their insights which have informed the report. I will now carefully consider the report to inform next steps.
Closing remarks
Before closing, I would like to thank Christine Carolan of ACRATH, one of the foundational members of this Roundtable, for her commitment and contributions to Australia's response to human trafficking and modern slavery over two decades. I wish her well, as she, in her own words, "hangs up her ballet shoes" and transitions to the next chapter of her purposeful life. Christine's tireless advocacy has strengthened Australia's response to modern slavery. I have enjoyed our meetings over the last few years and I will miss her engagement. Thank you Christine.
And I thank you all for your unwavering dedication to combat modern slavery wherever it occurs. I encourage you to sustain our partnership, commitment and resilience as we move forward towards a future where no one is subject to modern slavery. Thank you.
