In Australia, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 commenced operation on 1 January 2019, creating reporting obligations for certain entities. The term modern slavery is used to describe situations where coercion, threats or deception are used to exploit victims and undermine or deprive them of their freedom. It describes serious exploitation and not substandard working conditions or the underpayment of workers. The Australian government, in support of UN Guiding Principles, aims to combat modern slavery in the Australian community and in the global supply chains of Australian goods and services.
Who needs to report?
Entities that have:
What do I need to report?
The mandatory criterion are:
When do I need to report by?
Affected entities must report in respect of the first full reporting period following commencement and must report within 6 months of that period ending. For example, the reporting period for entities with a 30 June year end will be 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022, with reporting due by 31 December 2022.
Further information
Further information and links to the online registers can be found here: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/criminal-justice/Pages/modern-slavery.aspx
Please contact H & H Lawyers for further legal advice for submitting a modern slavery report.
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