Trade Aid and World Vision welcome the Government’s plan of action to Combatting Modern Forms of Slavery, released today. Now is the time for the Government to take action towards implementing modern slavery legislation.

In November 2020, World Vision and Trade Aid along with many other organisations, made recommendations towards their Plan of Action which included enacting a Modern Slavery Act.

Today’s plan commits to considering such legislation, which would require businesses to report publicly on transparency in supply chains and eliminate practices of modern slavery. Trade Aid and World Vision think this needs to be done urgently.

Today 85 New Zealand businesses put their names to a joint open letter calling for the government to move towards a Modern Slavery Act. Their support shows they are ready for the issue to be progressed in this country right now.

But unlike many other countries, New Zealand has no accountability legislation that addresses transparency in supply chains. This means that New Zealand companies could unknowingly be importing products or services by which people are exploited and enslaved.

Trade Aid and World Vision will meet with the Minister today to seek a commitment to the legislation.

Trade Aid and World Vision will launch a public petition on 25 March 2021 calling for a Modern Slavery Act to be enacted.

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