Due Diligence Legislation and Policies: Australia’s TransparencyBased Approach to Addressing Risks of Modern Slavery in Supply Chains

This policy brief explores how Australia can enhance its approach to combating modern slavery through legislative reforms. It emphasizes the need to strike a balance between human rights protection and corporate competitiveness, advocating for a more robust due diligence system.

Key Highlights:

• Legislative reform: Proposes substantial changes to the Modern Slavery Act, introducing penalties and positive due diligence obligations.
• Compliance mechanisms: Emphasizes the need for enforcement mechanisms like civil penalties and sanctions to improve compliance.
• Transparency & accountability: Calls for clearer guidelines and a lower reporting threshold to ensure better corporate reporting.
• Stakeholder collaboration: Highlights the need for collaborative efforts between government, corporations, and civil society to address modern slavery risks.

About the author

Dr Legesse Mengie is a sessional lecturer and researcher at the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia.

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Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute for International Trade or University of Adelaide