Slavery in Australia

Labour Trafficking Conviction

A Federal Court Judge has ordered that an Indian man trafficked to Australia and exploited in a restaurant in a Sydney suburb be paid $186,000 by the restaurant owner.  The man had been brought into Australia on a 457 visa and kept in slave-like conditions by his employer.  His passport and visa had been confiscated, he had a debt bondage, he was forced to work 12 hours a day seven days a week and had to sleep in a dry storeroom within the restaurant. Under the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Slavery, Slavery-like Conditions and People Trafficking) Act 2013 forced labour is a criminal offence in Australia. To date this is the only conviction of labour trafficking in Australia. Read more…