Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner

Be Slavery Free and 33 civil society organisations and academics forged a collective front to submit comprehensive recommendations on the Modern Slavery Amendment (Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner) Bill 2023 (Cth). This collaboration reflects a diverse spectrum of expertise, united by a common goal: enhancing the efficacy of the Modern Slavery Act and fortifying Australia’s position as a global leader in combating modern slavery. 

Modern slavery is an insidious presence in the supply chains of Australian entities and entities carrying on business in Australia. The Modern Slavery Act needs a Commissioner with the will and the means to help dig it out. The Report of the Statutory Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) outlines an ambitious future for the Modern Slavery Act that moves beyond reporting into human rights due diligence processes that can break the business models of modern slavery and protect victim-survivors.  

Recommendations include advocating for explicit authority to investigate general issues, particularly beyond the jurisdiction of Australian law enforcement, extending to overseas supply chains. The submission emphasises the Commissioner's pivotal role in handling complaints, identifying victim-survivors, and fostering collaboration for robust compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth). 

Central to the submission is the call to fortify the Commissioner's independence. Proposed measures include the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on Modern Slavery, amendments reinforcing the Commissioner's duty to act independently, and strategic consultation for transparent and autonomous execution of statutory functions. 

Submission jointly signed by the following organisations and academics

  • Associate Professor Martijn Boersma – Director of the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Program – University of Notre Dame Australia 

  • Dr Johannes (John) Dumay – Professor of Accounting & Finance – Macquarie University 

  • Associate Professor Erin O’Brien – School of Justice – Queensland University of Technology 

  • Zairul Nurshazana Zainuddin – PhD Candidate – Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance – Macquarie University