Australia Faces Backlash Over Imports Linked to Uyghur Forced Labour

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Australia has been criticized for importing thousands of goods from eight companies blacklisted by the United States for their alleged connections to forced labor involving Uyghur workers. A recent investigation by The Guardian revealed that since 2020, Australian importers submitted 3,347 declarations citing these companies as suppliers. The alarming findings have ignited outrage within the Uyghur community, especially as many of their relatives face persecution in China’s Xinjiang region.

The country's newly appointed anti-slavery commissioner, Chris Evans, emphasized the "inadequacy" of Australia’s existing forced labor laws, urging for a swift governmental response. Evans stated that this situation highlights significant gaps in how Australia addresses modern slavery in supply chains, calling for clearer guidelines to help businesses avoid complicity in human rights abuses.

Despite proposals for a ban on imports tied to forced or child labor, Australia has not enacted such measures, even as imports from the blacklisted firms surged following the introduction of U.S. restrictions. The goods imported include a diverse range of products, such as components for car batteries, safety gear, spices, and laser printers.

The Australian Border Force has not disclosed the names of the importers involved, leaving consumers uninformed about products associated with forced labor. Advocacy groups are urging the government to take a more proactive stance in combating modern slavery instead of relying solely on civil society and consumers to drive change.

As discussions around enhancing the Modern Slavery Act continue, the reforms aim to provide better support for businesses while also identifying high-risk categories in need of scrutiny.

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