Victorian politicians were given a wake-up call at a recent Speaker’s Breakfast when told modern slavery is almost certainly happening in every electorate in Victoria.
Legislative Assembly Speaker Maree Edwards MP organised The Speaker’s Breakfast at Parliament House.
The event was part of a series highlighting key community issues and the organisations actively addressing them.
Ms Edwards has worked closely with the Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans organisation over the past 18 months planning the event, learning about modern slavery and listening to stories by ACRATH members.
ACRATH’s anti-slavery work was highlighted in 2023 when Victoria’s Health Minister and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas urged all Members of Parliament to make their electorate offices slavery-free, starting with tea, coffee and chocolate. She promoted the collaboration with ACRATH during a Slavery Free Kitchen initiative and campaign.
“I am certain that no one in this place wants to drink beverages where there’s slave labour in the supply chains that bring them to us. It’s a simple and small action that can make a significant difference,” Ms Thomas told the Victorian Parliament during her member’s address on February 23, 2023.
During the Speaker’s Breakfast, ACRATH representatives highlighted ACRATH’s efforts in the community, focusing on their programs and initiatives aimed at eliminating modern slavery in Australia and highlighting the importance of actions to prevent modern slavery and to support victims/survivors.
ACRATH’s mission to eliminate modern slavery in Australia includes tackling issues such as forced marriage, exploitation of migrant workers, and slavery within the supply chains of local shops, markets and supermarkets.
“No matter what electorate you belong to there is human trafficking and modern slavery in your electorate,” said ACRATH member Marg Leahy.
Megan Bourke, a member of ACRATH’s working group on forced marriage, noted that forced marriage was one of the most highly reported forms of modern slavery across Australia and in Victoria.
“ACRATH’s response to this is a very human perspective for a start in that we look to train and educate people to notice and respond to behavioural indicators of forced marriage, to look for people who may be in a forced marriage or at threat of being in a forced marriage,” she said.
Following the presentation, ACRATH members and staff engaged in meaningful discussions with the MPs who were also invited to find out more about ACRATH initiatives that supported and identified victim/survivors of modern slavery after they discussed concerns in their electorates.
