Australia ratifies Forced Labour Protocol, action must follow
The Human Rights Law Centre has welcomed the Australian government’s ratification of the International Labour Organisation Forced Labour Protocol, which imposes legally-binding obligations on states to prevent and address forced labour. The ratification comes just a day after the government announced a major review of Australia’s modern slavery laws.
Freya Dinshaw, a senior lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, said:
“We welcome the government’s move to ratify the protocol, which is not only important symbolically, but an opportunity to implement additional measures that would seriously tackle forced labour.
“You only have to look at recent instances of migrant workers labouring in terrible conditions on Australian farms, not to mention some of the horrific examples of forced labour in overseas supply chains linked to Australian companies, to see just how much more needs to be done to tackle forced labour in our region.
“The protocol requires states to implement measures to prevent and eliminate forced labour, including providing workers with effective remedies, sanctioning perpetrators, supporting due diligence by the public and private sectors and addressing root causes.
“Ratification of the protocol is a major commitment and it must be followed swiftly with action to translate this commitment into practice.
“Australia’s Modern Slavery Act is up for review and urgently needs to be strengthened, including by requiring companies to take action to prevent forced labour and sanctioning companies that fail to report.
“The government should move to ban imports made with forced labour and improve access to justice for workers. Australia’s visa system and labour laws also need to be reformed to stop the systemic exploitation of migrant workers on temporary visas.”
Earlier this year, the Human Rights Law Centre and a coalition of human rights organisations, church groups and academics released a major new investigative report which found that an alarming number of companies were failing to identify obvious risks of forced labour in their supply chains or take action to address them.
Read: Paper Promises? Evaluating the early impact of Australia’s Modern Slavery Act
Media contact:
Evan Schuurman, Media and Communications Manager, 0406 117 937 or evan.schuurman@hrlc.org.au
Media Enquiries
Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager
Malinauskas Government must take historic opportunity and adopt Human Rights Act after inquiry recommendation
The Human Rights Law Centre has congratulated the South Australian parliamentary inquiry recommendation for a South Australian Human Rights Act.
Read more
Legal challenge filed against Tasmanian Parole Board’s decision to gag free speech
The Human Rights Law Centre has filed legal proceedings on behalf of Tasmanian grandmother, Susan Neill-Fraser, to challenge a restrictive parole condition placed on her by the Tasmanian Parole Board seeking to limit her ability to speak to the media.
Read more
University of Melbourne urged to drop repressive anti-protest and surveillance policies
The University of Melbourne is being urged to abandon policy changes that restrict staff and students’ right to protest and permit the widespread surveillance of people using their wifi network.
Read more
Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Darug and Wadawurrung people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
WARNING: This site contains images or names of people who have passed away.