Church body says Modern Slavery Bill not final step

In a submission on the Modern Slavery Bill to Parliament’s Education and Workforce Committee, the Commission strongly supported the direction and intent of the Bill.

The submission noted that the Bill seeks to establish a statutory framework to strengthen and co-ordinate actions to fight and advocate against modern slavery, including required annual reporting, creating a public register, improving public awareness and strengthening victim support.

The Bill creates offences for failing to prepare, submit or publish required statements, includes liability provisions for directors and others involved in management, and provides for pecuniary penalties. It also provides for publication of convictions and penalty orders and prevents Crown payments to entities that have contravened the legislation.

Just under 1000 businesses operating in New Zealand will be subject to a new reporting regime, because they have an annual consolidated revenue of more than $100 million a year, Radio New Zealand reported.

The Commission said the Bill “addresses the wider systemic conditions that allow modern slavery to exist and remain hidden, especially in business operations and supply chains. We expect this Bill to strengthen mechanisms for slavery prevention, accountability, transparency, and continued support for survivors”.

But the Commission also urged the Committee to recognise that modern slavery is systemic, adaptive and deeply embedded, and therefore cannot be addressed by reporting requirements alone.

“Subsequently, we further recommend this Bill be seen as part of an ongoing, evolving framework toward stronger public awareness and education; early intervention and prevention; engagement with civil society, faith communities, affected communities and institutions; continuous improvement of legal, social, spiritual, health, wellbeing and regulatory responses.

“Modern slavery is complex and systemic. A piecemeal response will not be enough. It requires a response that is co-ordinated, sustained, morally and ethically grounded.”

The Commission also referred to a submission it made last year on the Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, in which strong support was expressed for increased penalties for slavery offences as an essential means of deterring and adequately penalising exploitation.

“We emphasise that the Modern Slavery Bill should be understood as complementary to, not a substitute for, criminal law enforcement.”

National’s Greg Fleming and Labour’s Camilla Belich made history in using Standing Order 288 to get the Bill before Parliament, bypassing the usual ballot process for member’s bills by getting 61 backbench MPs to back it.

The Commission noted the “rare and unprecedented unity across Parliament in responding to what is fundamentally a grave moral and ethical injustice”.

FULL STORY

JPC submission on Modern Slavery Bill (Catholic Diocese of Auckland Justice and Peace Commission)

The Detail: Modern slavery bill a triumph of parliamentary co-operation (Radio New Zealand)

Modern Slavery Bill | New Zealand Legislation (NZ Parliament)