Recommendation 1

3.97    The committee recommends that the Government work towards building a list of 'reporting entities', and to publish compliance standards publicly, in order to test the proposition that 'reputational risk' is a sufficient motivator for reporting entities to comply with the requirements of the Act.

Recommendation 2

3.98    The committee further recommends that lists of entities that do report, including entities outside the compliance threshold who report voluntarily, should be published publicly.

Recommendation 3

3.99    The committee recommends that an independent statutory officer be appointed to support the operation of the Modern Slavery Act and be charged with the duties detailed in recommendation 6 of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Hidden in Plain Sight report (see paragraph 3.3 of this report).

Recommendation 4

3.100  The committee recommends that the statutory three-year review consider all aspects of the Act, with particular attention to compliance thresholds and compliance standards, and that the review be required to consider whether a mandatory penalty regime is required, drawing on the evidence and data gathered through the first three years of the Act's operation. The committee acknowledges that it may be shown that penalties are not needed.

Recommendation 5

3.101  The committee recommends that the Modern Slavery Bill be amended to include, in one location, reference to Australia's existing Modern Slavery offences (as outlined in Divisions 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code Act 1995) and to offences relating to fighting modern slavery such as offences relating to sexual and labour exploitation under the Migration Act 1958.

Recommendation 6

3.102  Subject to the above recommendations, the committee recommends that the bill be passed.

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