"Modern Slavery and Worker Exploitation Supply Chain Legislation", September 2023

Proposal

1 This paper seeks agreement to issue drafting instructions to the Parliamentary Counsel Office to give effect to policy proposals to address modern slavery and worker exploitation in the operations and supply chains of New Zealand entities.

Relation to Government priorities

2 This paper helps deliver on the following Labour Party 2020 Election Manifesto commitment:
“Labour will continue our work to stamp out migrant worker exploitation with a focus on exploring the implementation of modern slavery legislation in New Zealand to eliminate exploitation in supply chains.”

3 This paper also delivers on New Zealand’s international trade commitments, including our commitment under the Trade for All Agenda to assess whether “New Zealand legislation to address modern slavery [is] sufficient, given international trends” [DEV- 20-MIN-0052 refers] and our commitment in the NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement to“encourage private and public sector entities... to take appropriate steps to prevent Modern Slavery in their supply chains.”