We welcome Labor's commitment to support an Australian Modern Slavery Act.

Australians’ living standards have risen enormously through greater international trade. However, it has also increased the risk that products and services sold here are tainted by the use of forced labour.

Increased transparency will help consumers, investors and business partners more easily determine which companies are acting morally and working to maintain clean supply chains. Transparency also makes competition between businesses fairer.

Australia’s largest businesses have rightly taken a leadership role in promoting and supporting clean supply chains, and we look forward to consulting with Labor on the detail of its proposal.

According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index, an estimated 45.8 million people around the world are in some form of modern slavery, which describes a range of exploitative practices including human trafficking and forced labour.

The Opposition’s commitment, coming after the Government initiated an inquiry into establishing a Modern Slavery Act, shows there is growing bipartisanship on this important moral issue.

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