Australia's Modern Slavery Act: challenges for a post-COVID world?

Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Fellows, Jamie;Chong, Mark David
Abstract

When the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) struck in early 2020, the Commonwealth government eased reporting deadlines and extended the date for firms required to submit modern slavery statements under Australia's Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth). The economic recession caused by COVID-19 has produced the necessary conditions for further exploitation and enslavement of vulnerable individuals. This article asserts that, even without COVID-19, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) in its current form will do little to address forms of modern slavery such as sexual exploitation, forced marriage, trafficking and domestic servitude. This is because the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) primarily targets labour exploitation and requires suppliers to voluntarily disclose their involvement with modern slavery.

Journal

Alternative Law Journal

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N/A

Volume

45

ISBN/ISSN

2398-9084

Edition

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Issue

3

Pages Count

6

Location

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Publisher

Sage

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Publisher Location

N/A

Publish Date

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Url

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Date

N/A

EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1177/1037969X20956410