Australia Appoints New Commissioner to Tackle Issue of Estimated 41,000 Modern Slaves
Chris Evans, a former Labor Senator, has been appointed as Australia’s first federal anti-slavery commissioner.
The Albanese government has selected a former immigration and workplace relations minister from the Rudd and Gillard administrations for this crucial role.
Mark Dreyfus, the Attorney-General, revealed that former Western Australian Senator Chris Evans will commence his five-year term in December.
Dreyfus emphasized the impact of modern slavery on victims’ dignity, fundamental rights, and freedoms, encompassing exploitative practices like human trafficking, forced labor, forced marriage, deceptive recruitment, and debt bondage.
Additionally, Evans previously served as the CEO of the Global Freedom Network, a faith-based organization under the banner of Walk Free, dedicated to eradicating modern slavery.
According to a report by the New South Wales Anti-Slavery Commissioner James Cockayne, there are 16,400 individuals enduring such conditions in New South Wales alone.
The Global Slavery Index by Walk Free estimates 41,000 people across Australia are impacted by modern slavery, translating to 1.6 individuals per thousand.
Australia ranks second globally with a 67 percent rating for prevention efforts, lauded for initiatives like the Modern Slavery Act requiring significant companies to report their actions against modern slavery.
Evans will focus on overseeing the implementation of the Act and enhancing Australia’s response to human trafficking, forced labor, forced marriage, deceptive recruitment, and debt bondage.
The government allocated $8 million over four years in the 2023/24 budget to support anti-modern slavery efforts.
India, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, Bangladesh, and the United States have the highest estimates of individuals in modern slavery, according to Walk Free.
Furthermore, the organization warns of the risks of exploitation in renewable energy supply chains, citing state-imposed forced labor of Uyghurs and other minorities in China related to solar panels and other renewable technologies.
