Australia appears to have fallen behind other nations in the global fight against modern slavery.
Grace Forrest’s determination to fight modern slavery on a global level goes back more than a decade.
But that worldwide mission in no way detracts from her efforts at home.
If anything, those experiences strengthen her efforts to rid Australia of this blight on humanity and the global supply chains many businesses rely on.
The oldest of Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s children, Ms Forrest founded anti-modern slavery organisation Walk Free in 2011 as an advocacy arm of the Minderoo Foundation.
She feels Australia’s modern slavery numbers have taken a turn for the worse and its legislation is failing to keep up.
“Australia’s Modern Slavery Act was world leading when it was first introduced in 2018, but evidence over the last eight years shows reporting alone has done very little to reduce harm for victims and survivors, and nothing to reduce the vulnerability of Australia’s import risk or domestic modern slavery figures,” Ms Forrest told Business News.
Based in Nedlands, Walk Free has made waves on the global stage in its fight to eradicate modern slavery over the last 15 years.
The organisation is now calling on the federal government to strengthen its Modern Slavery Act, as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consults industry as part of a review.
The Act currently requires Australian businesses with an annual turnover of at least $100 million to report on risks of modern slavery in operations and supply chains.
Ms Forrest says this is not enough.
Last year, Walk Free found 66 per cent of statements submitted by companies under Australia’s Modern Slavery Act failed to meet the minimum requirements of reporting.
Recent analysis from Fair Supply – an ESG-risk data company whose first investor was Walk Free – estimates 21.5 per cent, or $98.6 billion, worth of products imported into Australia in 2024 were at risk of being linked to forced labour.
It found the top sectors were electrical machinery and appliances with $12.9 billion of Australia’s spend at risk, telecommunications equipment at $11.5 billion, apparel and clothing $11.4 billion, $8.9 billion of road vehicles and $3.4 billion in textiles.
The highest proportional spending was apparel and clothing imports with almost 90 per cent of Australia’s total $12.8 billion spend found to be coming from countries with forced labour risks.
“This analysis actually escalates the need for organisations to undertake due diligence on their suppliers because of the risks associated with so many industries,” Fair Supply chief executive Kimberley Randle said.
Calls for change
Ms Forrest and Walk Free want the Modern Slavery Act to include mandatory due diligence for businesses and a public list of goods and sectors at risk of modern slavery.
“What we’re talking about is not perfection,” Ms Forrest said.
“It’s about being better ... continuous improvement means putting these words that have been on paper now for eight years into action.”
Walk Free has support for changes to the Act.
In 2023, a statutory review of the Act made 30 recommendations, including the requirement of a due diligence system.
This year, Australian Anti-Slavery commissioner Chris Evans expressed his support for an amendment involving mandatory due diligence.
“We have known for years that the Modern Slavery Act’s transparency measures alone have not created meaningful impact for exploited workers,” said Mr Evans, a former Labor senator for Western Australia.
“Currently, reporting is mandatory but taking action is not, leaving workers exposed and responsible businesses disadvantaged.
“Other like-minded countries have already legislated mandatory due diligence regimes, recognising that reporting is not enough and that real action is required.
“These reforms are pragmatic, enforceable, and designed to deliver real change for people trapped in modern slavery.”
This month, the United Nations Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights weighed in on Australia’s legislation, expressing concerns with the Modern Slavery Act.
In addition to the introduction of due diligence, the committee recommended Australia develop a national action plan for business and human rights, and stronger monitoring and enforcement methods under the Act.
Of the more than 70 recommendations, mandatory due diligence was among three issues to which the committee urged a government response within two years.
Competing standards
Ms Forrest is worried Australia’s modern slavery standards are falling behind the rest of the world.
“If Australia fails to keep pace with the changing legislative and human rights environment, business leaders could face increasing reputational and operational risks and may find barriers to export markets that require demonstrated due diligence,” Ms Forrest said.
“If the law doesn’t evolve, Australia risks becoming a weak link in the global effort to eradicate modern slavery but is also an outlier with its peers on pretty basic ESG measures.”
In January, New Zealand introduced a modern slavery bill with penalties for non-compliant businesses and director liability.
The European Union, Germany, France and Norway legally require the undertaking of human rights due diligence.
Closer to home, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia are in the process of developing due diligence legislation.
“Global markets are moving towards mandatory human rights due diligence, and Australian businesses are going to have to get ahead of that curve simply just to stay competitive,” Ms Forrest said.
“Businesses that act early are going to be better prepared for regulatory shifts, not just in Australia, but regionally and globally.”
Long haul
As Walk Free steps into its 15th year, Ms Forrest said the most challenging part of her leadership had been the waning of international efforts to reduce modern slavery.
After a period during which countries were prioritising modern slavery reform, including the introduction of Australia’s Act, COVID put a handbrake on these efforts.
Walk Free’s last Global Slavery Index was released in 2023, based on data in 2021.
It estimated 50 million people were living in modern slavery, 40,000 of those in Australia.
Globally, the number increased by 10 million people since 2016.
New research has found a fifth of Australian imports are at risk of modern slavery. Photo: Matt Jelonek
“What I can tell you about our numbers is that they are conservative estimates, which is pretty terrifying,” Ms Forrest said.
“Sadly, it’s safe to say vulnerability has only gotten worse since then, with the climate crisis, the anti-rights backlash, and increasing anti-migrant rhetoric.
“The reality set for groups working in the human rights movement and the environmental movement right now is that our focus is pretty firmly on things not getting worse, rather than actually being able to make things better.”
With shifting dynamics globally ranging from political and environmental tensions, Ms Forrest said Australia should be making changes as soon as possible.
“We are seeing a serious rollback of human rights and the prioritisation of modern slavery, and that is why this legislative review in Australia could not come at a more urgent time,” she said.
“I don’t want to be talking to you in a year about how much worse these numbers are.
“They are already catastrophically bad, and they are already entering the homes of Australian families every single day.”
