World Vision is urging New Zealanders to show their support for a Modern Slavery Bill by making a submission via Select Committee to ensure the Bill becomes law this year.

The Modern Slavery Bill passed its first reading in Parliament with the overwhelming support of 112 MPs and now moves to the Education and Workforce Select Committee.

The committee is calling for public submissions on the proposed law which requires businesses with a revenue of more than $100 million to publicly report on modern slavery risks.

World Vision’s Head of Advocacy and Justice Rebekah Armstrong says it’s vital for New Zealanders to show just how much they support the Modern Slavery Bill.

"New Zealand currently has no law requiring businesses to identify whether their supply chains use forced labour, child labour or human trafficking and it’s important that the Select Committee knows how much New Zealanders want this rectified.

"We need as many people as possible to make a submission to show their support for the Modern Slavery Bill and to offer suggestions on how to make the law even stronger and more aligned with overseas jurisdictions," she says.

World Vision New Zealand has developed a template submission to help guide Kiwis through the submission process at www.wvnz.org.nz/msl.

The submission strongly supports the Bill, but calls for it to be strengthened by including:

• Stronger requirements for businesses to take action when they find modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains.
• A dedicated government entity to identify high-risk sectors and provide practical guidance and support for businesses.
• A stronger victim-survivor centred approach to better identify, protect, and support those affected by modern slavery and exploitation in New Zealand.

"We want New Zealand to introduce a law that is credible, enforceable, and consistent with the direction other countries are taking to address modern slavery in global supply chains. Modern slavery is a massive issue and currently affects more than 50 million people, including 8,000 right here in New Zealand.

"Submissions will help to guide the committee to create strong and robust legislation," she says.

World Vision research shows that the average New Zealander spends around $77 a week [i] on goods that are likely linked to modern slavery, such as electronics, clothing, shoes, and toys.

Hundreds of submissions from school students attending World Vision Youth Conferences have already been made in support of the bill.

World Vision Advocacy Ambassador 18-year-old Delara Elavia says young New Zealanders are firmly behind the proposed law.

"Young people feel really strongly about this bill. They don’t want to be buying clothes, electronics, cosmetics and other products that have been made by children or by people working in appalling conditions.

"They want New Zealand to step up and do our bit to ensure our supply chains are monitored for modern slavery and that businesses take action to prevent it," she says.

Some of the comments from young people in submissions to the Select Committee include:

• "I do not want to worry about where my next outfit comes from and whether it is costing someone’s freedom."
• "I believe everyone deserves to have their mana protected and to be safe from exploitation and situations where they have no choices."
• "If you wouldn’t want to sit in those factories, why do you expect others to? These are people’s lives and they deserve to be able to live them to the fullest and not be forced to work for little to no money so we can experience momentary pleasure."

New Zealanders have until May 28, 2026 to make a submission to the Education and Workforce Select Committee on the Modern Slavery Bill.

The World Vision template to make a submission can be found here: wvnz.org.nz/msl or a submission can be made directly to the Select Committee here.

Note:

The Modern Slavery Bill will introduce:

• Mandatory reporting: requiring businesses and other entities with a consolidated revenue of more than $100 million to prepare, submit, and publish public annual modern slavery statements which detail incidents, risks, due diligence, remediation, complaints, and training across operations and supply chains.
• Greater transparency and accountability: through an online public register of modern slavery statements, and annual reports detailing incidents, risk trends, offences, and civil penalties.
• Enhanced support for victims: through requirements to guide government agency support, improve victim identification, and the services available to trafficking survivors.
• Improved national data collection to track the scale of modern slavery, along with a regular review to strengthen modern slavery legislation in New Zealand.

A timeline of advocacy for a Modern Slavery Act:

• March 2021: 100 businesses sign an open letter calling for modern slavery legislation.
• June 2021: World Vision and Trade Aid delivered a 37,000-strong petition to the Government.
• July 2021: The Labour Government establishes the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group (MSLAG) to support and inform the development of an effective regulatory regime in New Zealand.
• April 2022: The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment solicits public submissions on a proposal for modern slavery legislation. More than 5,000 submissions were made with 90% in support.
• September 2022: The Labour Government releases the feedback which showed widespread support from New Zealand businesses and individuals to introduce law to address modern slavery.
• June 2022: When interviewed as leader of the opposition, Christopher Luxon says that an issue he would march in the streets for is modern slavery legislation.
• March 2023: An independent poll finds that 81% of New Zealanders support legislation to verify the absence of modern slavery in supply chains.
• July 2023: The Labour Government announces that modern slavery legislation will be drafted requiring businesses to publicly report on modern slavery risks.
• May 2024: The National Coalition Government disestablished the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group (MSLAG).
• April 2024: When questioned about modern slavery legislation, Minister van Velden and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said this was not a current priority for the Government.
• June 2024: Camilla Belich, Labour spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety questioned Minister van Velden on modern slavery at Parliament question time. Minister van Velden reiterated that modern slavery legislation is currently not a priority for the Government.
• December 2024: World Vision NZ’s Rebekah Armstrong, barrister Jacob Parry, and ANZ’s ESG Lead Rebecca Kingi co-drafted the Modern Slavery and Trafficking Expert Practitioners (MSTEP) Modern Slavery Bill.
• December 2024: The Labour Party issued a media release expressing its support for modern slavery legislation and calling on National to back it as well.
• April 2025: National MP Greg Fleming lodged the Modern Slavery Reporting Bill as a Private Member’s Bill, focused on business reporting obligations. This complemented his Increasing Penalties for Slavery Offences Bill, currently before Select Committee.
• June 2025, Labour MP Camilla Belich lodged a Modern Slavery Bill. This bill introduces similar business reporting requirements but is more comprehensive including updates to the Crimes Act stronger provisions for victim protection and support and the establishment of an Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
• August 2025: The Minister of Justice announced plans to amend the Crimes Act to strengthen laws against trafficking, including many provisions recommended in the MSTEP Bill. World Vision launched its campaign urging politicians to work together utilising the rule of 61.
• September 2025: 28 signatories, representing institutional investors and New Zealand businesses accounting for more than NZD 215 billion, released an open letter calling for urgent action on modern slavery legislation.
• September 2025: The Government introduced the Adoption Amendment Bill to prevent trafficking and unsafe adoptions, signalling willingness to strengthen New Zealand's response to modern slavery and trafficking.
• December 2025- both member bills were removed from the ballot.
• January 2026 joint modern slavery bill introduced.
• April 2026: Modern Slavery Bill passes its first reading in Parliament with the support of 112 MPs.
• May 2026: The Education and Workforce Select Committee calls for public submissions on the Modern Slavery Bill

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