ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author reviews the way that 'the new abolitionists' have campaigned against a range of exploitative practices, gathered under the now popular umbrella term 'modern slavery', seeking to place Australian processes into a global context. While the term does not have an agreed legal definition, rather denoting a range of abuses covered by diverse international legal instruments, many now use it because it is consistent with international efforts and legislation including the UK and Australian Modern Slavery Acts. Opponents of modern slavery discourse and its use by the 'new abolitionists' to address trafficking argue that popular narratives of transatlantic slavery and its historical stereotypes have hindered understanding of the real complexity of modern forms of exploitation and their causes. The NSW Modern Slavery Act, passed in June 2018, was the first state legislation mandating penalties for Australian companies that fail to address slave labour in their supply chains.
