Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

These amendments from the opposition would remove forced marriage from the definition of modern slavery. The Greens won't be supporting them, fundamentally because we believe that forced marriage actually is a form of modern slavery. It's also important to note that forced marriage can, in some circumstances, be coupled with other forms of modern slavery. We also make the point that Senator Reynolds has just made, which is that nothing in this legislation will require any companies who are caught to report in any way on the private affairs of their employees.

It's worth pointing out that articles 1 and 2 of the UN Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery liken forced marriage to slavery. A range of organisations here in Australia and internationally, including Anti-Slavery Australia, Anti-Slavery International, Walk Free Foundation, the International Labour Organization and Free the Slaves, all consider forced marriage to be a form of modern slavery.

Senator Farrell talked us through, in very general terms, the policy on forced marriage that Labor is intending to take to the upcoming election. From what Senator Farrell has just said, that sounds like a very good policy. On the basis of what Senator Farrell has put to the Senate this evening on that policy, it would absolutely be something that the Greens could support. However, we don't see the inclusion of forced marriage in this legislation as part of the definition of modern slavery as mutually exclusive in any way to address the issue of forced marriage in the way that Senator Farrell has outlined. So, we won't be supporting this amendment.

The CHAIR: The question is that amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 8549, moved by Senator Farrell, be agreed to.