"Implementing the Modern Slavery Act 2018: The Australian Government’s Annual Report 1 January–31 December 2019"

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The Modern Slavery Act 2018 (the Act) [...] aims to combat modern slavery in the global supply chains of Australian goods and services by establishing a Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement (Reporting Requirement) for large business and other entities. The Reporting Requirement requires entities operating in the Australian market to prepare annual statements explaining their actions to address modern slavery risks in their global operations and supply chains. In a world-first, the Australian Government is also required to report under the Act.

This is the first report provided to the Parliament detailing the Government's actions to implement the Act and covers the 2019 calendar year (reporting period). [...]

This report focuses on the key actions taken by the Government to implement the Act over 2019 through key work streams: advising and supporting reporting entities; awareness raising and promoting best-practice; developing an online modern slavery statement register; and combating modern slavery risks in public sector procurement. This work was led by the Modern Slavery Business Engagement Unit in the Australian Border Force (ABF), which has been established to oversee the implementation of the Act and compliance with the Reporting Requirement.

Throughout 2019 the Government took a collaborative and proactive approach to implementing the Act. This has helped maximise reporting entities' awareness of their legislative obligations and build the business community's understanding of modern slavery risks. Future reports to Parliament will include information and analysis of compliance trends and best-practice reporting as entities begin reporting under the Act from 2020.

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