The conviction of Joseph Matamata in 2020 shed light on the state of modern slavery in New Zealand. Three years later, an investigation into migrant worker exploitation has highlighted that exploitation persists due to inadequate legal protections.
A Modern Slavery Reporting Bill was drafted by the former government, however the current Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden has stated that cabinet is “yet to make decisions” about the bill’s progress. New Zealand is currently reliant on voluntary guidelines and limited compliant mechanisms. Without dedicated legislation, New Zealand is falling short in effectively addressing modern slavery.
UC Amo Matua | Executive Dean of Law Petra Butler discusses this topic on The Conversation: read the article
Disclosure statement
Petra Butler is a member of the NCP Liaison Group, MBIE.