Trade Aid is deeply saddened and concerned by the New Zealand government’s recent decision to disband the Modern Slavery Legislation Advisory Group. As long-time advocates for ethical practices and champions of fair trade, we believe this move represents a significant step backward in the fight against modern slavery and exploitation within global supply chains.
Modern slavery legislation is a crucial tool in ensuring that large commercial entities uphold the principles of ethical trade. As members of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), Trade Aid is committed to the eradication of slavery and exploitation in all its forms.
Our journey against modern slavery has been long and resolute:
- 1996: Stop Child Slavery. Trade Aid presented a 14,000 signature petition to Parliament calling for an end to bonded child labour in the South Asia carpet industry. This international campaign established the RugMark (now GoodWeave) label used to authenticate rugs made without child labour.
- 2007: Trade Aid presented a 17,000 signature ‘Slavery Still Exists’ petition to Parliament, calling for legislation banning the importation of products made by slave labour.
- March 2021: Trade Aid & World Vision launched a petition calling for modern slavery legislation to be passed in NZ. We presented an Open Letter signed by 100+ NZ businesses asking the Government to consider modern slavery legislation.
- June 2021: 37,000+ New Zealanders signed the petition, which we handed to the Honourable Michael Wood and the House of Representatives. The Government established the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group, which Trade Aid is part of, to support and inform effective legislation.
- September 2021: We made written submissions to the Petitions Committee in support of the public petition. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment confirmed that the Government committed to a 2022 public consultation.
- November 2021: Trade Aid, World Vision, Human Rights Commission & the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) presented oral submissions to the Petitions Committee.
- April-June 2022: The Government opened public consultation on proposed legislation. 5,600 submissions were made in support of legislation.
- 28 July 2023 The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, announced they are drafting a modern slavery reporting law, requiring businesses with at least $20 million in annual revenue to report on the risks of modern slavery in their supply chains.
While New Zealand has historically led the way in global initiatives and advocacy, we find ourselves lagging behind when it comes to modern slavery legislation. Countries around the world have taken significant steps to combat this issue:
- United Kingdom: The UK introduced the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, which requires businesses to disclose steps they are taking to tackle slavery in their supply chains.
- Australia: Australia followed suit with the Modern Slavery Act 2018, mandating companies to report on their efforts to address modern slavery risks.
- Canada: Canada is in the process of implementing the Modern Slavery Act, which will similarly require businesses to report on forced labour and child labour within their supply chains.
- United States: The US has the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, which prohibits the importation of goods produced by forced labour.
It is disheartening to see New Zealand, a proud nation of activists and global leaders, fall behind in this critical area. The decision to disband the modern slavery group undermines efforts to hold companies accountable for their supply chain practices. This decision risks allowing exploitative labour conditions to persist unchecked.
We call on the government to reconsider this decision and reestablish the modern slavery group. Specific legislation is required to eliminate the scourge of modern slavery and create a world where fair trade and ethical practices are the standard, not the exception.
Trade Aid remains steadfast in our dedication to advocating for fair trade and the abolition of modern slavery. We look forward to working with other like-minded organisations and collectively using the power of the pen to make our voices heard again.
Image sourced from Walk Free
Sources:
Legislation.gov.uk – Modern Slavery Act 2015
Law Council of Australia – Modern Slavery Act Factsheet
Congress.gov – End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2015
World Vision – Risky Goods Supply Chain Report 2023
World Vision – Government urged to prioritise Modern Slavery Legislation