Lisa Singh

CLARE O’NEIL MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR JUSTICE
MEMBER FOR HOTHAM
 
SENATOR THE HON LISA SINGH
LABOR SENATOR FOR TASMANIA

It’s time for the Turnbull Government to join Labor in the fight against modern slavery.

This week in Melbourne, stakeholders giving evidence to the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade yet again have called for action on modern slavery.

In April this year, Labor announced our support for an Australian Modern Slavery Act to improve transparency within business supply chains. Labor has also committed to establishing an Anti-Slavery Commissioner to help victims of modern slavery right here in Australia. 

Earlier this month, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement backed in Labor’s policy – calling on the Government to consider enacting a Modern Slavery Act and appointing an Anti-Slavery and Trafficking Commissioner.

Both today and yesterday, the Foreign Affairs and Aid Sub-Committee of the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade heard evidence strongly in favour of both measures.

This support has come from Fairtrade Australia, the Law Council of Australia, University of Melbourne experts, Hagar Australia, Slavery Links, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Red Cross. It builds on calls from Anti-Slavery Australia, the Salvation Army and ACRATH.

Like Labor, these organisations believe the Australian Parliament must do everything it can to protect vulnerable individuals.

We desperately need to remedy the gaps in enforcement and support by scrutinising how governments are tackling modern slavery. 

Labor is leading the fight against modern slavery. It’s time for Malcolm Turnbull to join us.

WEDNESDAY, 2 AUGUST 2017

MEDIA CONTACTS:  

ALICE CRAWFORD (O’NEIL) 0319 555 635, 

TAIMUS WERNER-GIBBINGS (SINGH) 0429 820 344