Inquiry into modern slavery risks faced by temporary migrant workers in rural and regional NSW - NSW Modern Slavery Committee
In February 2025, The Salvation Army provided a submission to the New South Wales Government’s Modern Slavery Committee, responding to the Inquiry into Modern slavery risks faced by temporary migrant workers in rural and regional New South Wales.
The Salvation Army’s submission draws upon the expertise of our Community Connections Program, which provides direct support to temporary migrant workers in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, delivered in partnership with the New South Wales Council for Pacific Communities. We also utilise our experience in providing support to people experiencing modern slavery through the Additional Referral Pathway Program and our Trafficking and Slavery Safe House.
The submission acknowledged the merits of government-to-government schemes such as PALM in filling labour shortages across rural and regional Australia. We also recognised the need to ensure adequate support and protections are available to prevent and address modern slavery risks and other forms of worker exploitation amongst temporary migrant workers.
In the response we identified the need to:
- Separate experiences of modern slavery from other forms of worker exploitation to avoid ‘catch all’ responses;
- Ensure that the voices of temporary migrant workers with lived experience of modern slavery or exploitation are proactively captured, with adequate protections available;
- Address power imbalances between temporary migrant workers and employers by enhancing education and dismantling structural vulnerabilities which ties visas to a specific employer; and
- Adequately resource and equip frontline services, local and cultural councils, community leaders and local communities to ensure they can respond to and support temporary migrant workers, when and how they need it.