1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,560 Speaker 1: Labors put out a release today they're taking action on 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: modern slavery. Camilla Balich is the MP drafted a bill 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: which she hopes will bring an end to modern day 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: slavery if passed. The Member's bill would create an anti 5 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: slavery Commissioner and require entities to report back on their 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: anti slavery efforts. And she is with me now, Camilla, 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: welcome to the show. 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here. 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: Do commissioners work, they work for supermarkets. 10 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think what is clear in this particular situation 11 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 2: is at the moment we've got really nothing in New 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: Zealand to address what is a really really serious issue. 13 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 2: So what this spell does is implement what experts in 14 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 2: this area I think are the best practice in order 15 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: to address what is I think most New Zealanders will 16 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: be really horrified about, which is exploitation in our supply 17 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 2: chain and also in New Zealand. So I think that 18 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 2: their recommendation is that there is an anti slave commissioner, 19 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 2: and you know there is also a review cause in 20 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 2: this bill, so there'll be a chance to see whether 21 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: that commissioner is effective in their role and a chance 22 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 2: to look at it where it is more that needs 23 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 2: to be done in that space. 24 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: You're also asking that the entities companies will be required 25 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: to report back on their anti slavery efforts. Is that 26 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: every single business how many businesses? 27 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: Exactly? No, that is not every single business. Is really 28 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 2: focuses on big businesses, So it's businesses with a turnover 29 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 2: of over fifty million, which is, as you can imagine, 30 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 2: quite large businesses within New Zealand. That number was landed 31 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 2: upon because that was when the consultation happened under the 32 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: last government. That was the most supported option in terms 33 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 2: of a number, in terms of the size of a business, 34 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 2: and also that's quite comparable to other jurisdictions that have 35 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 2: modern slavery legislation in place. So at this stage it 36 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: really is larger businesses. But that is also something that 37 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: we could look at over time, depending on how accessful 38 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: the regime is in relation to those large entities. 39 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: How many modern day slaves do we have in New Zealand. 40 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 2: I really don't know the answer for that, and I 41 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: think that's really concerning that we don't have data on that. 42 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: And I think that the reasons I'm so. 43 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 1: Tamil isn't that important I mean, if you're going to 44 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: pay for a commissioner, you're going to get businesses to report, 45 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: You've got paperwork, you've got cost you've got all this stuff, 46 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: and we don't even know how bad the problem is. 47 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 2: Well, we know it is a big problem when we 48 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 2: know that there are a lot of people who have 49 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 2: been trafficked and badly treated. And of course this spell 50 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: doesn't just focus on people in New Zealand. It also 51 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,519 Speaker 2: talks about people in our supply chain. And World Vision 52 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 2: is a group that's been advocating for us for a 53 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: long time and they estimate, I think that each household 54 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 2: spends about seventy seven dollars a week towards supply chains 55 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 2: which are impacted by exploitation and slavery. So you can 56 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 2: see that they do have data to seduce that it 57 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: is a problem and that New Zealanders are unwittingly participating 58 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: in something that they would find absolutely apporrent. 59 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: I think, all right, Carmel st your time. That's Comelo 60 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: Belich to the Labor MP who's got the members bill. 61 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: Going in for more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive listen 62 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,559 Speaker 1: live to news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, 63 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio