National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery 2020–25
Australia's response to modern slavery is underpinned by the National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery 2020–25 (the National Action Plan).
The National Action Plan includes 46 actions in support of 5 national strategic priorities:
- Prevent modern slavery: combat the drivers of these crimes and empower individuals and groups that are vulnerable to modern slavery.
- Disrupt, investigate and prosecute modern slavery: identify victims and survivors, implement disruption strategies and hold perpetrators to account through effective investigations and prosecutions.
- Support victims and survivors: provide holistic, tailored and victim-centred support and protection.
- Partner: cooperate across government and with international partners, civil society, business, unions and academia to ensure a coordinated response to modern slavery.
- Research: strengthen data collection and analysis to build the evidence base that supports our response to modern slavery.
The National Action Plan was informed by community consultation and a review of the previous National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and Slavery 2015–19, undertaken by the Australian Institute of Criminology.
We lead implementation of the National Action Plan and are responsible for delivering several action items.
Practice guidelines
The Practice Guidelines for Organisations: Working with people in or at risk of modern slavery deliver Action Item 25 of the National Action Plan.
A working group of the National Roundtable on Human Trafficking and Slavery developed the guidelines, in consultation with government, civil society, academia, business and people with lived experience. They update the Guidelines for NGOs: Working with trafficked people, which were first developed in 2008 by members of the National Roundtable, and updated in 2010 and 2015.
The guidelines:
- set out good practice principles and practical guidance for working with people who have experienced modern slavery
- help individuals and organisations to update or develop processes relevant to their organisation, guided by best practice
- assist individuals and organisations to identify relevant support services and resources.
Modern slavery lived experience engagement and empowerment
The guidance document Modern slavery lived experience engagement and empowerment: values, principles and practical guidance to support trauma-informed engagement and empowerment in Australia delivers Action Item 31 of the National Action Plan.
This foundational guidance is designed to help organisations seeking to engage with and promote empowerment of people with lived experience of modern slavery in Australia.
It articulates values, principles and practical guidance to support safe, ethical and trauma-informed engagement and empowerment of people with lived experience. It recognises the important role that people with lived experience play in shaping Australia's response to modern slavery and the need to provide opportunities to empower and strengthen their voices to inform policies and programs.
The guidance is the culmination of the collaborative efforts of people with lived experience, survivor leaders, government agencies, civil society, academia and international survivor leaders.
We consulted extensively with people with lived experience, including though the pilot Survivor Advisory Council established under the Salvation Army's Lived Experience Engagement Program and funded under the National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery 2020–25 Grants Program.
National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery 2020–25 Grants Program
The Australian Government invested $4.4 million as part of the National Action Plan to deliver 2 rounds of multi-year grants to fund civil society, business and industry groups, and academia for activities to:
- combat modern slavery in Australia
- increase the capacity of businesses to respond to modern slavery in global supply chains
- support new research to inform evidence-based policy responses to address modern slavery in Australia.
The 2025–26 Federal Budget committed $1 million to continue some community projects for a further year.
We manage the National Action Plan to Combat Modern Slavery 2020–25 Grants Program. This delivers Action Item 33 of the National Action Plan. The grant outcomes also contribute to the delivery of a number of additional action items under the National Action Plan.
Government grant-funded opportunities are advertised through the Community Grants Hub.
Overview of state and territory victims of crime financial assistance schemes
The Overview of state and territory victims of crime financial assistance schemes and their availability to victims and survivors of modern slavery delivers Action Item 27 of the National Action Plan.
The overview contains information about state and territory victims of crime financial assistance and compensation schemes, and their availability to modern slavery victims and survivors. It includes information on eligibility criteria to access financial assistance and compensation schemes (current as at November 2024).
Targeted review of Australia’s modern slavery offences
In 2023, we completed a targeted review of modern slavery offences in Divisions 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code , in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This delivers Action Item 19 of the National Action Plan .
Find out more about Australia's modern slavery offences.
Enhancing civil protections and remedies for forced marriage
Under Action Item 23 of the National Action Plan, we developed and consulted on options for a model to enhance civil protections and remedies for individuals in or at risk of forced marriage.
Work to strengthen a national coordinated response to forced marriage is ongoing. We are working with state and territory governments through the Standing Council of Attorneys-General.
Find out more about forced marriage.