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ARTICLE · 18 JANUARY 2019

Modern Slavery Act: compliance cost or business opportunity?

Corrs Chambers Westgarth
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The compliance requirements of this Act should be an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate respect for human rights.

AustraliaGovernment, Public Sector
Heidi Roberts
Heidi Roberts
John Tuck
John Tuck
Phoebe Wynn-Pope
Phoebe Wynn-Pope
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Australia's Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) (the Act) is a significant move towards the eradication of slavery that has been largely well received by business and embraced by civil society. The Business Council of Australia welcomed the establishment of the Act, noting that '(b)usiness is committed to identifying forced labour and weeding it out of tainted supply chains'. The Business Council also acknowledged that greater transparency in supply chains will drive 'better practice'.

Aiming high – the positives for business

'Better practice' is to be welcomed, but Australian companies should be aiming for best practice. This means not only undertaking excellent value chain due diligence– taking meaningful action to identify and address risks – but also seeing modern slavery as a part of a wider framework of human rights responsibilities.

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