October brought a big week of firsts for the Australian response to modern slavery.
Our first national Anti-slavery Commissioner Chris Evans launched his inaugural strategic plan in Sydney on 22 October.
I was there and I was honoured to share some words of encouragement.
I was also part of a group of modern slavery survivors who met with Federal Attorney General Michelle Rowland.
It was a powerful occasion that was consistent with the first priority of the Anti-slavery Commissioner’s new plan: “transforming systems to centre survivors and people with lived experience.”
The stories of survivors are crucial – not only for awareness and engagement, but to ensure responses genuinely help the people who need it.
To that end, I have told my own story more than 100 times over the last seven years.
Here is the short version. A long time ago, a trusted relative recruited me to work in Australia from Fiji.
I came to support my widowed mother. But after two years of picking grapes, I discovered I had been deceptively recruited. Neither Mum nor I received a cent of my wages.
I now know that the work I was doing had many indicators of a type of modern slavery called forced labour.
For example, when I arrived my passport was taken from me. I was told I had a debt to pay off for the costs of my travel.
These indicators – and lots of others – are what the team at Domus 8.7 looks for today when assessing vulnerable workers.
Domus 8.7 is staffed by the Sydney Archdiocese’s team of modern slavery experts who advise not just Catholic organisations, but a growing number of large Australian corporates. (“8.7” is a reference to United Nations Strategic Development Goal 8.7, which calls for the eradication of forced labour, modern slavery and child labour.)
Our mission is to uphold the dignity of the human person from the abuse of modern slavery. Compliance with Australia’s Modern Slavery Act is one of the ways we work towards this goal. And this brings me to the other important Strategic Plan that was launched last week.
The Archdiocese of Sydney’s first formal strategic plan, “Lighting the Way”, commits to: “Work to eradicate modern slavery through active management of our supply chains and by providing advice, remediation, and prevention services through our registered charity Domus 8.7.”
That commitment is the most comprehensive I know of any major Australian organisation to address what Pope Francis called “a crime against humanity”.
The most recent estimate is that there are at least 41,000 individuals living in modern slavery in Australia, although the actual figure is likely to be higher and growing.
Every week I also talk to vulnerable workers, particularly temporary migrant workers, who describe situations here in Australia that indicate they may be in modern slavery.
There is still a lot of work to do, but I couldn’t be prouder of the church’s practical response and active leadership on modern slavery.
Anti-slavery Commissioner Chris Evans, Moe Turaga and Jenny Stanger will be guest speakers at the Sydney Catholic Business Network lunch on Thursday, 13 November 2025. Register here.
