Australia appoints first anti-slavery commissioner

The Australian government has appointed Chris Evans, former Labor minister and former chief executive of Walk Free’s Global Freedom Network, as the country’s first anti-slavery commissioner. Evans, whose five-year term begins in December, will be tasked with strengthening protections for vulnerable workers and addressing exploitative practices in sectors across Australia. Yet as Australia takes this step, its Modern Slavery Act is increasingly seen as outdated, with experts calling for reform to keep pace with global standards.

Temporary migrant workers unprotected in Australia

A recent report found that minority temporary migrant workers employed in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (Palm) scheme were at risk of modern slavery.

The Guardian reports,

“Temporary migrant workers, particularly low-wage workers in agriculture, horticulture and meat processing in rural NSW, face risks of debt bondage, deceptive recruiting, forced labour and, in extreme cases, servitude, sexual servitude or even human trafficking,” the report said.

Thousands of Palm workers have “disengaged” from the scheme, leaving exploitative workplaces, but because their visa and right to stay in Australia is tied to their particular employer, leaving the program means they are left without rights.

Advocates hope the newly created position means reform is on the horizon to address this and other pressing modern slavery issues.

Modern Slavery Act falling behind global standards

Once hailed as a landmark measure, Australia’s Modern Slavery Act now faces scrutiny for its limited impact on reducing modern slavery. An independent review found that the Act’s lack of enforcement mechanisms has led to underwhelming outcomes, particularly as it only applies to companies with revenues over 100 million AUD. These companies are required to assess risks of forced labor within their supply chains and report their actions—but without penalties for noncompliance, many fall short in meaningful reporting and action.

Carolyn Kitto, Co-Director of Be Slavery Free, highlighted Australia’s shift from leader to laggard:

“In 2018 we boasted that we were leading the world in our actions on modern slavery, and we were. We can no longer make that claim. It is one thing to have legislation and a new commissioner; it is another to adequately fund this role and the law’s implementation. Meanwhile, Australian businesses continue to compete on a playing field that rewards those with forced, bonded, and child labor in their supply chains.”

International momentum calls for tougher standards

Countries in Europe are moving toward stricter supply chain legislation, enforcing comprehensive checks to ensure human rights. Australian companies may soon have to meet similar standards if they wish to remain competitive in global markets. Meanwhile, Australian advocates are pushing for substantial changes to the Modern Slavery Act, such as imposing penalties for non-compliance and expanding protections beyond forced labor to encompass other forms of modern slavery. Australia has also come under fire from the Uyghur community and its allies for its slow response to the systematic forced labor taking place in the Uyghur Region given the country’s extensive trade with China, including the Uyghur Region.

As anti-slavery commissioner, Evans is expected to push for more rigorous measures to protect workers across Australia and address calls for stronger oversight of the country’s supply chains. The appointment reflects a positive step, yet advocates stress that lasting change will require both substantial government funding and an effective legislative framework.

Freedom United hopes this new appointment signals a scaling up of Australia’s efforts to tackle modern slavery and the beginning of comprehensive reforms that prioritize worker protections and ensure accountability.

Join Freedom United in the fight against modern slavery. Help us push for stronger protections by signing our petition calling on world governments to pass mandatory human rights due diligence legislation!