Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie has spoken out on modern slavery in Australian supply chains and operations, saying the proposed new national Anti-Slavery Commissioner must not be set up to fail.

She first sought a ban on importation of goods produced by forced labour in 2021, when she introduced legislation to ban goods produced by forced labour and has now tabled amendments to the Government's Modern Slavery Amendment (Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner) Bill 2023.

Ms Sharkie says the Bill represents a vital step in combating modern slavery, establishing the Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner to support victim-survivors and fight modern slavery in Australia and overseas.

However, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), human rights experts and civil society groups say it should be improved and the Commissioner's role and independence bolstered.

"Of around 50 million people subjected to modern slavery worldwide, 28 million are in forced labour and 22 million forced marriages. 

“It is estimated that over 10 million of those in forced labour are children, robbed of their childhoods, education, health and safety."

Ms Sharkie commends the Bill but agrees with the ACTU and human rights experts like Be Slavery Free that it must be improved.

She says her amendments will strengthen the independence, functions and resourcing of the Commissioner, and impose a duty for entities to undertake due diligence to address modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.

"While slavery still flourishes in some industries and under some government and military regimes, we need to make sure our new Anti-Slavery Commissioner has the teeth to take the fight to modern slavery, whether on our shores or in the overseas supply chains of Australian entities or entities operating here. 

“We also need to make sure the Commissioner can properly support victim-survivors.”