New Zealand’s long-anticipated Modern Slavery Bill – dubbed “the first step towards ending modern slavery in New Zealand” – has passed its first reading in Parliament.
Lodged in January, the legislation has advanced with rare bipartisan support from both National and Labour MPs, accelerating its progress through Parliament and allowing it to bypass the traditional “biscuit tin” ballot process.
At its core, the Bill will require large businesses with annual revenues exceeding NZ$100 million to report on how they identify and address modern slavery in their supply chains, aligning with similar regimes in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.
It will also create a public register of mandatory reports, enforce director accountability, strengthen support for victims in New Zealand and give the Human Rights Commission a formal role, which could lead to the establishment of an Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
The Bill passed with support from all parties, excluding ACT, which argued that the legislation could increase costs for businesses when modern slavery is already outlawed in New Zealand under the Crimes Act.
Labour MP Camilla Belich, who co-sponsored the Bill with the National’s Greg Fleming, described the passing of the first reading as “a historic day for the New Zealand Parliament”.
“New Zealand has lagged behind partners like the UK and EU. We made commitments in our trade deals, and this Bill is about finally delivering on them,” she said.
“I’m proud Parliament has come together to take a stand against exploitation, and grateful to the advocates, organisations and businesses who’ve driven this change.”
The Bill has now been referred to a select committee, with public submissions open until 27 May 2026.
Following this date, the committee will prepare a report for the House by 30 August 2026, including recommended changes to the Bill.
