Office of the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner

📣 BREAKING: NSW Modern Slavery Committee publishes Part 2 of its Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW) The NSW Modern Slavery Committee has today published Part 2 of its Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW). Part 2 draws on extensive confidential consultation with people with lived experience of modern slavery. It includes 12 recommendations to the NSW Government, including amending the NSW Act to strengthen engagement with people with lived experience, and to expand the detection and information-gathering powers of the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner. Responses from the NSW Government and NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner are anticipated by March 2025.   Read the full report and recommendations: https://lnkd.in/gHBzg_jT

From the desk of lived experience: Responding to trauma and centring healing In the final instalment of her 2025 series on complex trauma and its impact on lived experience engagement, OASC’s Lived Experience Practice Lead Sarah S invites us to explore how we can respond to trauma and what trauma-informed practice looks like in action. Sarah writes: “When it comes to engaging with people with lived experience of trauma, I often see that there’s an unrealistic expectation that having the ‘correct’ attitude will lead to the outcomes we’re seeking. For example, being compassionate will naturally lead to safety. However, this misses the crucial middle steps in the process: the actions and interactions that lead to the outcome.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gYK2JzBQ

This year, we have made significant progress in the fight against modern slavery in NSW. We thank each and every one of you for being part of this journey with us. As the year comes to an end, it’s time to rewind and reflect. Our Office will be closed for the Christmas and New Year period, from Monday 23 December 2024 to Friday 3 January 2025. We wish you a restorative holiday season and look forward to what lies ahead in 2025.

More than 16,400 cases of modern slavery estimated in NSW alone yet only 35 convictions nation-wide. Listen to the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner, Dr James Cockayne, in his interview with BAY FM RADIO LIMITED earlier this week to learn more about: 📌 the role of NSW Anti-slavery Commissioners, 📌 modern slavery legislation in international, Australian and NSW contexts 📌 how to identify modern slavery as a community member, and how to support someone who is in, or at risk of modern slavery. https://lnkd.in/gzjm_Jx2

The People of Vanuatu need your support ‼️ Following the devastating earthquake, we are thinking of all ni-Vanuatu friends and colleagues, including those working in Australia. Many of those people working in Australia from Vanuatu are now facing a festive season isolated from their family, friends and homeland due to travel disruptions emanating from the devastating earthquake. Australian South Sea Islanders for Port Jackson, led by our friend (Waskam) Emelda Davis, are raising funds to support those stranded. For more information see https://lnkd.in/gxzxTQ_q

The NSW Modern Slavery Committee wants to hear from migrant workers!   To reach the widest possible audience, including migrant workers with lived experience of modern slavery, the NSW Modern Slavery Committee has translated the terms of reference and submission guide into 12 different languages.   The submission guide explains the role of parliamentary committees and how to make a submission to an inquiry of the Modern Slavery Committee. These resources have been translated into: Dari; Pashto; Urdu; Hazaragi; Persian (Farsi); Turkish; Arabic; Tamil; Bislama; Fijian; Chinese (Mandarin); and Korean. These in-language resources are available for download on the inquiry webpage here: https://lnkd.in/gxXfYYcw

In the 2022-23 financial year, the Australian Centre To Counter Child Exploitation Child Protection Triage Unit received 40,232 reports of online child sexual exploitation. Each report contains images and videos of children being sexually assaulted or exploited for the sexual gratification of child sex offenders. The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) and the eSafety Commissioner recently developed several resources to support families of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and organisations with the aim of preventing, identifying and responding to online child sexual exploitation. These resources include conversation cards and an advice sheet for parents and carers to encourage them to talk with their children about online child sexual exploitation to help them feel supported in the event they ever feel unsure or unsafe online. The resources are available in English, Punjabi, Chinese and Arabic. To access the resources, visit: https://lnkd.in/gCHdPZ9a

📣 New GRS Resource: How to Prepare a Modern Slavery Risk Management Plan A Modern Slavery Risk Management Plan is a plan to manage risks of modern slavery in a covered entity’s operations and supply-chains. The Plan sets out how your organisation will put into practice the commitments made in your Modern Slavery Policy. Learn more about how to develop the plan: https://lnkd.in/gJnJmg6U

🌏In light of tomorrow’s International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the signing of United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, our Lived Experience Practice Lead, Sarah S, will deliver a presentation at the 16 Days of Activism Against gender-based violence event, organised by the Western Sydney Local Health District. Sarah’s presentation will address Modern Slavery, its intersectionality with other forms of gender-based violence, current health responses to modern slavery, and the development of a toolkit by our It’s Healthy to Fight Modern Slavery project’s community of purpose group. The toolkit for NSW healthcare providers includes: 📌 Foundational modern slavery education/training 📌 Identification and assessment tools 📌 Referral pathways and protocols Stay tuned for updates in this space!

Centring lived experience has never been more critical in addressing ESG issues. Last month, our Lived Experience Practice Lead, Sarah S, delivered a keynote speech at the NSW ESG Summit 2024, addressing senior leaders in environmental, social and governance across sectors including financial services, manufacturing, construction, telecommunications and retail etc. Sarah’s speech emphasised the importance of integrating lived experience into ESG strategic planning and provided practical steps for businesses to meaningfully engage people with lived experiences within their value chains, in a trauma informed and safe way. We hope this engagement inspires more businesses to take concrete actions to integrate survivor voices into their decision-making process. Forefront Events Forefront GRC Community