In this episode of Family Matters, Simon talks to Greg Fleming MP about the Modern Slavery Bill that he and Camilla Belich MP have successfully bought forward for the New Zealand Parliament to debate. They also discuss the rather historical cooperation between a National Party MP (Greg) and Labour Party MP (Camilla).
Greg explains modern slavery as exploitation where people cannot refuse or leave their work due to threats, violence, coercion, or abuse of power, and notes it includes forced labour, descent-based slavery, forced marriage, debt bondage, human trafficking, and child labour. Estimates are that it impacts around 50 million people worldwide.
He says the Bill focuses on a reporting regime requiring large companies to audit and report on modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains, domestically and internationally, with reports on a public register to inform ethical consumer choices and enable companies to use their leverage to improve conditions.
Greg notes there are four parts to the Bill’s overall framework: prosecution, reporting, a dedicated commissioner/body, and victim support. He addresses concerns about added compliance, says prescribed forms will simplify reporting, and states the threshold to being reporting is having a $100 million NZD turnover. This covers around one thousand firms, with approximately a third already doing so due to existing Australian modern slavery requirements.
Simon also talks with Greg about how this is a very rare example of cross-party cooperation around a members bill. In fact, it may well be the first time that both major political parties have agreed to progress such a Bill and fast track it from the ballot of the “biscuit tin”.
If you don’t fully understand what modern slavery is, how it impacts here in New Zealand, and also see how parliamentarians can sometimes work well together – then this is the podcast for you.
