In a significant move to combat modern slavery, the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner has introduced a comprehensive plan to target the presence of exploitative supply chains in government procurement practices.
According to the plan, some products purchased with public funds “appear to be made through modern slavery.”
Dr James Cockayne, the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner, said there was ample evidence indicating the use of modern slavery in the production and distribution of products including items like cotton, tomatoes, solar panels, certain electronics, as well as specific services such as cleaning and security services in certain sectors.
Dr Cockrane told the publication he had received evidence on modern slavery within government supply chains. It is understood that reports relate to the agriculture and meatpacking industries.
“It might seem like a foreign concept to many, but modern slavery is all around us. It’s happening right now on farms in regional NSW, in shops and construction sites in our cities – perhaps even in a house down the street.”
“We see women and children made vulnerable through domestic and family violence; cleaners and security guards working in office blocks, caught in the grip of debt bondage; girls forced to marry here in NSW or overseas; and people living with disability who are exploited in segregated workplaces or in institutional care.
“Everyone has a human right to be free from slavery, but right now there are thousands of people being robbed of that right here in NSW.”
Key elements of the plan include: the banning of goods linked to modern slavery, giving healthcare workers the tools to report incidents of modern slavery, and a hotline for reporting.
A key priority of ‘Working Together for Real Freedom’ is to promote responsible business practices. Under this objective, the commissioner will assist NSW public buyers in identifying and addressing modern slavery risks in their procurement processes. The plan also includes monitoring the effectiveness of stakeholders’ efforts in this regard.
More than 40,000 people in Australia are estimated to be victims of modern slavery and practices such as debt bondage, human trafficking, forced labour and sexual exploitation.
More than 16,000 people in NSW are estimated to be experiencing modern slavery.
