New bill seeks to combat modern slavery in workplaces
Labour has drafted a new bill aimed at obligating organisations across New Zealand to prepare and publish modern slavery statements on their websites.
The Modern Slavery Bill 2025, introduced by Labour MP Camilla Belich, wants companies and organisations with more than $50 million in annual revenue to prepare and publish modern slavery statements on their websites and submit them for publication on a register.
According to the bill, a modern slavery statement should include how the organisation identifies, addresses, mitigates, and remediates incidents and risks of modern slavery occurring within their operations and supply chains.
"The bill sets out clear steps for New Zealand to take a stand against modern slavery, it's well overdue," Belich said in a statement.
Modern Slavery in New Zealand
Modern slavery is an umbrella term that covers forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, slavery, as well as slavery-like practices, according to international human rights group Walk Free.
Its 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates that there were 8,000 individuals living in modern slavery in New Zealand in 2021, equivalent to 1.6 people for every thousand people in the country.
Among the reported forms of modern slavery in the country are forced labour, forced sexual exploitation of adults, commercial sexual exploitation of children, as well as forced marriage, according to the index.
Anti-Slavery Commissioner role
Belich's bill seeks to establish an Anti-Slavery Commissioner role to raise awareness of modern slavery, as well as advocate for and promote action to combat the problem.
According to the MP, she received 3,700 written submissions from young people in New Zealand and World Vision New Zealand calling for government action on modern slavery.
"We have now put forward a comprehensive member's bill drafted by experts in the field and taking into account the work done by the Modern Slavery Advisory Group," she said on Facebook.
"It shouldn't need saying in 2025, but we urge the Government to take either option up in order to take urgent action against slavery. It is the right thing to do."
Last year, Belich said Chris Hipkins wrote to New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon offering bipartisan agreement on the issue, but has yet to receive a response.
"It seems the coalition Government is comfortable with modern slavery happening in New Zealand and in our supply chains," the MP said.
"If we do not act, we risk being left behind by other countries that are already putting in place measures to combat modern slavery. This Government should put its money where its mouth is and do what’s best for people and business."
