Australia's Proposed Modern Slavery Act for Business Reporting - Part of an International Trend in Business and Human Rights

Australia looks set to introduce a Modern Slavery Act (MSA) in 2018, following the example of the UK's legislation in 2015. The MSA would require certain businesses to report on their efforts to tackle modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. This article discusses the current proposals for the MSA and situates them within the international context. It notes that an increasing number of jurisdictions have introduced reporting or due diligence laws and that there are ongoing developments in international law also. It concludes that this is an area of rapid change within the growing trend of business and human rights and one where further developments within Australia and internationally are to be expected with important implications for Australian businesses.