Source: World Vision
World Vision New Zealand welcomes the historic first reading of a Modern Slavery Bill in parliament today which will help to strengthen the country’s response to slavery and exploitation, while improving transparency for consumers, investors, and businesses.
The Bill passed its first reading with 112 votes in favour, demonstrating strong cross-party support.
World Vision New Zealand National Director, TJ Grant, says it was emotional to witness the Bill pass its first reading in parliament today.
“New Zealanders have been advocating for this legislation for years and it is momentous to finally see the bill pass its first reading with genuine cross-party support.
“The Bill will help New Zealand to play its part in ending modern slavery for more than 50 million people worldwide [i] , including 8,000 [ii] right here in New Zealand,” he says.
The Bill’s first reading took place today following an historic cross-party move earlier this year to fast-track the legislation using a Standing Order 288 which has never before been used in New Zealand’s parliament.
The standing order meant the Bill bypassed the private member’s ballot because it had the support of more than 61 non-executive MPs.
At today’s first reading, the co-sponsor of the Bill, Labour MP Camilla Belich stressed the overwhelming support for the Bill.
“This is a practical bill that will address a very serious problem. There’s huge support with businesses and with New Zealanders. A survey in 2022 showed that 81% of New Zealanders support taking action on modern slavery. This is not controversial. It’s the right thing to do,” she said.
Fellow co-sponsor of the Bill, National MP Greg Flemming told the house the Bill would bring greater transparency to New Zealand’s supply chains.
“It does turn the attention of companies to their supply chains, and it has been proven time and again that when companies look for these things they see things they haven’t previously seen. That is the fruit of this modern slavery reporting framework,” he said.
The Modern Slavery Bill will introduce:
- Mandatory reporting: requiring businesses and other entities with a consolidated revenue of more than $100 million to prepare, submit, and publish public annual modern slavery statements which detail incidents, risks, due diligence, remediation, complaints, and training across operations and supply chains.
- Greater transparency and accountability: through an online public register of modern slavery statements, and annual reports detailing incidents, risk trends, offences, and civil penalties.
- Enhanced support for victims: through requirements to guide government agency support, improve victim identification, and the services available to trafficking survivors.
- Improved national data collection to track the scale of modern slavery, along with a regular review to strengthen modern slavery legislation in New Zealand.
World Vision research shows that the average New Zealander spends around $77 a week [iii] on goods that are likely linked to child labour, forced labour, or human trafficking, such as electronics, clothing, shoes, and toys.
Grant says the New Zealand business community, local and international investors, and the broader New Zealand public have continually called for modern slavery laws because it is the fair and right thing to do.
“This Bill requires companies to take responsibility for their supply chains and gives New Zealanders confidence that the goods they are buying are slavery-free,” Grant says.
The Bill will now progress to the Education and Workforce Select Committee and Grant is urging New Zealanders to make a submission to help strengthen the law.
“Today’s milestone shows that when New Zealanders speak up, change can happen, so I hope New Zealanders can feel proud that we have got to this point, but it doesn’t end here – we need people to show their support through the Select Committee submission process.
“We have a real opportunitiy to get this right and with continued public support, New Zealand can move into 2027 with modern slavery laws that are strong, robust, and fit for purpose,” Grant says.
Notes:
A timeline of advocacy for a Modern Slavery Act:
- March 2021: 100 businesses sign an open letter calling for modern slavery legislation.
- June 2021: World Vision and Trade Aid delivered a 37,000-strong petition to the Government.
- July 2021: The Labour Government establishes the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group (MSLAG) to support and inform the development of an effective regulatory regime in New Zealand.
- April 2022: The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment solicits public submissions on a proposal for modern slavery legislation. More than 5,000 submissions were made with 90% in support.
- September 2022: The Labour Government releases the feedback which showed widespread support from New Zealand businesses and individuals to introduce law to address modern slavery.
- June 2022: When interviewed as leader of the opposition, Christopher Luxon says that an issue he would march in the streets for is modern slavery legislation.
- March 2023: An independent poll finds that 81% of New Zealanders support legislation to verify the absence of modern slavery in supply chains.
- July 2023: The Labour Government announces that modern slavery legislation will be drafted requiring businesses to publicly report on modern slavery risks.
- May 2024: The National Coalition Government disestablished the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group (MSLAG).
- April 2024: When questioned about modern slavery legislation, Minister van Velden and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said this was not a current priority for the Government.
- June 2024: Camilla Belich, Labour spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety questioned Minister van Velden on modern slavery at Parliament question time. Minister van Velden reiterated that modern slavery legislation is currently not a priority for the Government.
- December 2024: World Vision NZ’s Rebekah Armstrong, barrister Jacob Parry, and ANZ’s ESG Lead Rebecca Kingi co-drafted the Modern Slavery and Trafficking Expert Practitioners (MSTEP) Modern Slavery Bill.
- December 2024: The Labour Party issued a media release expressing its support for modern slavery legislation and calling on National to back it as well.
- April 2025: National MP Greg Fleming lodged the Modern Slavery Reporting Bill as a Private Member’s Bill, focused on business reporting obligations. This complemented his Increasing Penalties for Slavery Offences Bill, currently before Select Committee.
- June 2025, Labour MP Camilla Belich lodged a Modern Slavery Bill. This bill introduces similar business reporting requirements but is more comprehensive including updates to the Crimes Act stronger provisions for victim protection and support and the establishment of an Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
- August 2025: The Minister of Justice announced plans to amend the Crimes Act to strengthen laws against trafficking, including many provisions recommended in the MSTEP Bill. World Vision launched its campaign urging politicians to work together utilising the rule of 61.
- September 2025: 28 signatories, representing institutional investors and New Zealand businesses accounting for more than NZD 215 billion, released an open letter calling for urgent action on modern slavery legislation.
- September 2025: The Government introduced the Adoption Amendment Bill to prevent trafficking and unsafe adoptions, signalling willingness to strengthen New Zealand’s response to modern slavery and trafficking.
- December 2025- both member bills were removed from the ballot.
- January 2026 joint modern slavery bill introduced.
- April 2026: Modern Slavery Bill has it’s first reading in Parliament.
