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
The Salvation Army wants the Australian government to expel foreign diplomats implicated in cases of slavery in Canberra. This week the Australian Senate committee will hear evidence from industry and human rights bodies about the government’s draft Modern Slavery Bill. Despite media reports on the issue over the past year, the draft bill does not Read more
Six months after Muhammed Yusuf had been sold, tortured and forced to watch as a friend died, he found himself back at the parched, dusty bus station where his ordeal began, facing the man who had made him a slave. Unembarrassed and unrepentant, the smuggler was still touting for business among the crowds flooding into Read more
Last December Cardinal John Dew attended the Santa Marta Conference on Human Trafficking in London. Police chiefs and Church representatives from across the world gathered in London alongside Home Office ministers for a Conference aimed at developing strategies to combat human trafficking. Cardinal John said he felt both privileged to attend and horrified at what he Read more