Labour puts forward modern slavery bill, saying NZ will get left behind
Labour has drafted legislation to stop modern slavery in New Zealand company operations and supply chains, hoping to restart a process that has stalled under the current Government.
A private member’s bill introduced by Camilla Belich called the Modern Slavery Act 2025 aims to create a “fit-for-purpose statutory framework to support actions taken to combat modern slavery”.
The bill envisages a newly created anti-slavery commissioner charged with raising awareness of modern slavery and advocating and promoting action to combat it. An expert advisory panel on the subject would also be set up to report to the relevant minister.
The bill would require 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, together with the ways in which they are addressing and mitigating slavery risks within their operations and supply chains.
The anti-slavery commissioner would be charged with ensuring this work was done.
Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $200,000, and there would be a similar fine for publishing a modern slavery statement that included intentionally false or misleading information.
The bill would also strengthen the legal framework for people trafficking.
Trafficking someone under the age of 18 for the purpose of exploitation could attract 20 years in prison, a fine of as much as $500,000, or both.
Belich, said “the Prime Minister said he would march in the street against modern slavery and yet 18 months into Government, he has failed to take any meaningful action or show any leadership.
“My modern slavery bill takes a comprehensive approach to addressing modern slavery, will create an anti-slavery commissioner and require entities to report on how they identify and stop modern slavery from happening.”
Last year Chris Hipkins wrote to Christopher Luxon offering bipartisan agreement on the issue – but Belich said there had been no response, which is why the party was taking action.
“It seems the coalition Government is comfortable with modern slavery happening in New Zealand and in our supply chains.
“Not only does it show where National’s moral compass really is, it also puts at risk our free trade agreements with the UK and the EU where we signed up to take action.
“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,” she said.
Belich hoped that all parties would be able to support the bill as it was drafted by the Modern Slavery and Trafficking Expert Practitioners Group (MSTEP), which includes criminal and regulatory barrister Jacob Parry, ANZ’s ESG lead Rebecca Kingi, and World Vision’s head of advocacy and justice Rebekah Armstrong.
Many companies, including those that come under Australian and European modern slavery laws, already publish reports on their activities.