Australian Human Rights Commission Submission to the UN Human Rights Committee, 18 September 2017 Modern slavery (ICCPR articles 2 & 8; LOI 2, 4 & 16) (a) Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement 153. The Commission welcomes the Government's proposal for large corporations and other entities operating in Australia to publish annual statements outlining their actions to address modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.190 At this stage, it is not proposed that these requirements will apply to Australian governments, despite them having supply chains of significant scale. 154. The Commission notes that the Government’s national consultation process to refine the Government’s proposed model is underway. (b) 155. Modern Slavery Act The Commission welcomes the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade inquiry into establishing a Modern Slavery Act in Australia. The Commission also notes the Joint Committee’s recommendation that the Government consider supporting in-principle the development of a Modern Slavery Act in Australia, including:  supply-chain reporting requirements for companies, businesses, organisations and governments in Australia; and  an Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, subject to reviewing the recommendations of the Committee’s final report.191 Recommendation 61: That the Australian Government develop a Modern Slavery Act in Australia. Procurement (ICCPR articles 2 & 8; LOI 2, 4 & 16) 156. The Commonwealth Procurement Rules do not explicitly refer to human rights. The Commission notes that the Australian regulatory framework is insufficient to prevent human rights abuses from occurring in Commonwealth procurement.192 157. A parliamentary committee has recommended that the Government develop a procurement policy requiring Commonwealth agencies to evaluate suppliers’ compliance with human rights regulation.193 Another parliamentary committee has noted that consideration of modern slavery risks should be included in this procurement policy.194 Recommendation 62: That the Australian Government amend the Commonwealth Procurement Rules to align with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including in regard to human rights due diligence in procurement. 32