Andrews Labor Government Should Oppose Slavery, Not Pay For It
The Liberal Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, has asked the Andrews Labor Government to stand up against modern slavery.
In the Victorian Parliament, Mrs McArthur, has requested the Department of Transport - or the State Government as a whole - to volunteer a statement opposing modern slavery to the Federal Minister for Home Affairs.
The request followed last week’s revelation that the State Government contracted Chinese company CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles to build Melbourne’s trains in 2016.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has identified CRRC as one of the companies that was linked to factories using forced Uighur labour in China.
The ASPI reports a “conservative” figure of 80,000 Uighurs have been transferred out of their homeland in the Xinjiang province to work in factories across China under conditions that “strongly suggest forced labour”.
Under the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act 2018, which came into force on 1 January 2019, Australian entities which have an annual consolidated revenue of at least $100 million must provide the Federal Minister for Home Affairs with a modern slavery statement that describes the risks of modern slavery practices in the operations and supply chains of the reporting entity, and the actions taken by the reporting entity to assess and address those risks.
Although state government entities are not bound by the Act, any entity is able to make a voluntary modern slavery statement and provide it to the Federal Minister.
Mrs McArthur said the Andrews Government needs to stand up against slavery and the behaviour of the Communist régime in China and provide this important statement.
“While the Premier is a master at looking the other way and denying accountability - it is definitely not an option when it comes to slavery,” Mrs McArthur said.
“Daniel Andrews’ Belt and Road deal with China comes at a high price and with a heavy burden for Victorians.
“While the Premier might wish reality to be otherwise, the truth is that this deal with CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles effectively means we are sponsoring this alleged slavery,” she said.
“The alternate is that these trains could have been built at Alstom, Ballarat, with local skills and jobs - a highly advantageous investment for our state and nation.
“Instead, we are appear shackled to slavery, and worse still, are paying for it.
“The Minister for Transport, Jacinta Allan, needs to find a pen and paper and get a letter written to the Federal Government.”
The ASPI report on forced Uighur labour in China described the conditions in the factories, saying that:
“They typically live in segregated dormitories, undergo organised Mandarin and ideological training outside working hours, are subject to constant surveillance, and are forbidden from participating in religious observances. Numerous sources … show that transferred workers are assigned minders and have limited freedom of movement.”
The conditions clearly resemble those of modern slavery.
The report also noted the treatment of Uighur Muslims in Chinese ‘re-education camps’:
“Inside the [re-education] camps, detainees are subjected to political indoctrination, forced to renounce their religion and culture and, in some instances, reportedly subjected to torture.”
“It is reprehensible that the Victorian Government would contract a company that apparently benefits from gross human rights abuses, modern slavery crimes and the exploitation of these Uighur workers.”
“Slavery has no place in our world.
“To have Victorians pay for a product produced in China under very dubious circumstances when it could be built locally in this State, is scandalous. Such action brings shame and embarrassment upon our state. It offends every Victorian who cares deeply for human rights and who would prefer our trains to built locally”.
14 October 2020