In a significant move to address modern slavery, the Australian Parliament on Tuesday passed the Modern Slavery Amendment (Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner) Bill 2023. This legislation establishes the nation’s first federal Anti-Slavery Commissioner as an independent statutory officeholder. The new role is tasked with promoting compliance with the existing Modern Slavery Act, supporting victims, advising the government, and advocating for continuous improvements.
The creation of the Commissioner was a key election promise by the Albanese Government, which has committed $8 million over four years to support its establishment and operation. The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement initially recommended including the role when the Modern Slavery Act was passed in 2018. However, the position was omitted in the final legislation.
The recent Bill Digest highlights that approximately 41,000 people are living in situations of modern slavery in Australia, encompassing practices such as human trafficking, slavery, debt bondage, servitude, forced marriage, and forced labour. While the Commissioner will play a pivotal role in the oversight and systemic promotion of compliance, its functions will not extend to investigating individual complaints or suspected instances of modern slavery.
Following the passage of the Bill, the Human Rights Law Centre, alongside other civil groups, issued a statement welcoming the creation of the role but also urged the government to expand its scope. They called for granting investigative and enforcement powers to the Commissioner, as well as increasing the initial $8 million budget to enhance the impact effectively.
The Attorney-General underscored the importance of this development by announcing the Bill’s passage, stating that it represents a vital step in the Albanese Government’s “ambitious agenda to address the insidious scourge of human trafficking and modern slavery.” More details about the Bill and its implications can be found on the JURIST website.