Modern Slavery Expert Advisory Group

• Australian Catholic Anti-Slavery Network
• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Australian Council of Superannuation Investors
• Australian Council of Trade Unions
• Australian Industry Group
• Be Slavery Free
• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
• Business Council of Australia
• Human Rights Law Centre
• Institute for Human Rights and Business
• United Nations Global Compact Network Australia
• Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
• Walk Free
• Woolworths Group

• Professor Justine Nolan, Australian Human Rights Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney
• Kylie Porter, SunRice Group
• Margaret Stuart, Nestlé Australia Limited
• Ro Coroneos, Praxis ESG
• Sebastian Conley, Transurban
• Shaeron Yapp, Rio Tinto

The group held its first meeting of 2025 on 12 February. The meeting focused on:

• the Australian Government response to the review report of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth)
• discussion on implementing the Australian Government response, including approaches to public and targeted consultations
• collaboration between Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom to develop guidance for entities subject to modern slavery legislative obligations in multiple jurisdictions.

The Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC, MP, opened the Group’s fourth meeting of 2024 on 4 December 2024. The meeting focused on:

• the Australian Government response to the review report of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth)
• introducing Mr Chris Evans, the inaugural independent Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner appointed under the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth)
• a briefing from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on how modern slavery considerations have been incorporated into their resource, Sustainability collaborations and Australian competition law: A guide for business, which has been released since this meeting.

The group held its third meeting of 2024 on 19 September 2024. The meeting focused on:

• key priorities relating to the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) for the remainder of 2024 
• discussion with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on the progress of their consultation process for Sustainability collaborations and Australian competition law: A guide for business and key intersections with modern slavery considerations
• guidance material on effective remediation in modern slavery
• recent enhancements to the Modern Slavery Statements Register.

The group held its second meeting of 2024 on 9 July 2024.The meeting focused on:

• noting the passage of legislative amendments to the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) to establish the Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner
• the new Commonwealth Supplier Code of Conduct and new review of Commonwealth procurement procedures and supply chains
• a presentation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on modern slavery and competition law
• good practice reporting under the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth).

The Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC, MP, opened the Group’s first meeting of 2024 on 15 March 2024. The meeting focused on:

• Australian Government modern slavery priorities and matters relating to the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) that the Expert Advisory Group might advise on in future meetings
• the role and arrangements for the Expert Advisory Group under the terms of reference
• good practice supplier engagement approaches
• commencing consideration of guidance on good-practice reporting under the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth).