Australia’s Modern Slavery Act: Towards Meaningful Compliance

Abstract

Australia’s recently enacted federal Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) (the Australian Modern Slavery Act or the Act) forms part of a growing global trend towards mandated corporate disclosures in respect of modern slavery risks. This article argues that meaningful compliance with the Act can only be achieved when businesses commit to implementing a comprehensive human rights due diligence program. The authors aim to provide practical guidance on what this means in the Australian context by outlining the Guiding Principles concept of human rights due diligence, explaining how its key elements correspond with the Act’s reporting requirements, and applying internationally recognised good practice to these requirements.