Modern slavery: if we can’t see it, we can’t stop it
Modern slavery exists in New South Wales (NSW). There are an estimated 16,400 people in the state who are living in modern slavery.
Modern slavery occurs when one person treats another person as if they owned them – restricting their freedom.
Modern slavery is all around us, if we know where to look. It could be happening right now on farms in regional NSW, in shops and construction sites in our city, or in a house down the street.
There are reliable reports of many different kinds of modern slavery in NSW, including:
- Workers trapped in forced labour on farms in regional NSW.
- Workers forced into domestic servitude in urban households.
- Cleaners and security guards working in office blocks, caught in the grip of debt bondage.
- Young men, women and girls forced to marry here and overseas.
- People living with disability who are being exploited in segregated workplaces or in institutional care.
- Forced labour and forced child labour of First Nations peoples.
Everyone has a human right to be free from slavery. Working together, we can ensure we all enjoy real freedom.
NSW is leading the fight against modern slavery
NSW is leading the nation in taking concrete steps to become a place where everyone’s human right to live free from slavery is realised.
NSW was the first state or territory in Australia to introduce standalone legislation to address modern slavery, the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW).
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NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner’s Strategic Plan
The first NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner is Dr James Cockayne. In June 2023 he released a Strategic Plan for July 2023 to June 2026 – Working Together for Real Freedom.
It offers a roadmap for building effective anti-slavery collective action in NSW. There are five priorities:
Build prevention capacity
The Anti-slavery Commissioner is working with NSW government and non-government organisations to help them identify people who are vulnerable to modern slavery and prevent victimisation. This involves equipping frontline workers and establishing an effective support and referral hotline arrangement.
Enable remedy
The Anti-slavery Commissioner is working with service providers to improve access for people with lived experience of modern slavery to effective remedy. This includes strengthening access to effective support and fostering survivor leadership.
Foster responsible business practices
The Anti-slavery Commissioner is working with government and private companies to show leadership in identifying and addressing modern slavery in supply chains and investment. This includes removing products of modern slavery from public procurement and fostering responsible business practices in the private sector.
Change the narrative
The Anti-slavery Commissioner is raising awareness about modern slavery across NSW in a way that empowers survivors and builds the business and policy cases for anti-slavery.
Develop a community of purpose
The Anti-slavery Commissioner is laying the foundations for sustainable and inclusive implementation of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW). This means bringing stakeholders together to work towards the goals of the Act and ensuring that efforts to combat modern slavery can be sustainable and successful.
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Supporting materials
Download English and in-language materials
Help and support
Contact the Office of the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner
Email: antislavery@justice.nsw.gov.au
We will help direct you to the safety and support services you need, such as accommodation, legal and immigration advice, counselling and financial support. The Anti-slavery Commissioner is not required to pass on information shared with him, unless there are reasonable grounds to suspect a child or young person is at risk of significant harm.
The Australian Federal Police
Phone: 131 237 (131AFP)
