Slavery ended in the 19th century, right? Wrong. It’s an easy enough mistake to make. After all, the end of America’s civil war and the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – both in 1865 – brought an end to slavery in the U.S. And the British Slavery Abolition Act in 1834 ended slavery in Read more
Combating modern slavery is taking a back seat in New Zealand. Proposed legislation will not now go ahead. The Government has also disbanded a group set up to provide advice on this international crime. Members of the former Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group say that, by failing to act, New Zealand will fall behind its Read more
Modern slavery practices in Australia are in for some hard-nosed opposition. A newly released toolkit aims to help Catholic parishioners in Brisbane stamp out exploitation practices. It also aims to raise parishioners’ awareness of the significant presence of slavery in Australia today. Brisbane archdiocese’s Legal, Governance and Risk team developed the modern slavery toolkit in Read more
Tough new modern slavery legislation is near at hand. So is some straight-aiming Kiwi tech, with its sights on spotting exploited workers. Bosses who like to turn staff into slaves should think again. New legislation By the end of the year New Zealand is likely to have new legislation to combat modern slavery. Submissions on Read more
The Australian Catholic Anti-Slavery Network (ACAN) has released a landmark report showcasing how its member organisations are responding to the challenge posed by modern slavery. ACAN’s Compendium of Modern Slavery Statements highlights the work of over 40 Catholic entities including dioceses, health, education and welfare bodies. Signatory organisations, such as the Sydney Archdiocese’s Catholic schools, Read more
Walk into St Lukes mall in Auckland and you’ll find Body Haven massage on the second floor. Last year, the company was found guilty of paying a masseuse the equivalent of 86¢ an hour. It was ordered to repay the worker $8000 and put on a “stand-down” list preventing it from hiring migrant labour for Read more
Australia’s modern slavery legislation is now translating into meaningful on-the-ground interventions in the high-risk construction sector, including an anonymous advice chat service for workers observing troubling behaviour. The app is part of a broader Building Links project initiated by the Australian Catholic Anti-slavery Network (ACAN). The project aims to increase the capacity of construction industry Read more
Joseph Auga Matamata, 28 July, was sentenced in the Napier High Court to eleven years in jail after being found guilty of ten charges in human trafficking and thirteen charges in dealing in slaves. “Modern slavery is not something that happens ‘over there’ that we don’t have to think about,” Grace Forest, co-founder of Walk Read more
What a bargain! A can of tomatoes for 75c. But how come they can be so cheap? Economist, Barbara Ward once suggested that we still have slaves, but these days we don’t see them because they are on the other side of the world. In a thought-provoking column Newsroom, Nikki Mandow wonders if perhaps the Read more
Children, political prisoners, vulnerable and poor people are fleeing to the UK to escape gangs of organ harvesters. Lungs, kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas are reportedly among the most sought-after organs. They are sold on the black market around the world for thousands-of-pounds. The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) data shows there were six referrals Read more