New Zealand is moving again on modern slavery reform, this time with a bill designed to put clear, business-facing expectations into law.
In late January 2026, New Zealand National Party and New Zealand Labour Party MPs lodged a co-sponsored Modern Slavery and Worker Exploitation Bill, using a parliamentary mechanism that allows a Member’s Bill to be introduced automatically once it has support from at least 61 non-executive MPs (Standing Order 288, sometimes referred to as the “rule of 61”).
This comes alongside other modern slavery reforms already moving through Parliament, including the Government’s Crimes Amendment Bill, which focuses on strengthening criminal offences and penalties for trafficking and slavery.
The result is a rare cross-party push to get modern slavery legislation onto the parliamentary agenda quickly, after earlier attempts to progress reform stalled.
What could change in practice
This is not primarily a criminal law bill. It is a corporate transparency and accountability bill.
The proposed framework would require large organisations to identify and report on modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains, and to publish that reporting on a public register.
Who would be in scope
The bill would apply to companies operating in New Zealand with annual revenue over NZ$100 million. That threshold suggests an initial focus on larger organisations, particularly those with the leverage and resources to map supply chains, identify risk hotspots, and formalise reporting.
What organisations would have to do
In practical terms, the bill is designed to move modern slavery from a values statement to a documented compliance obligation. Based on reporting and early legal commentary, in-scope organisations would be expected to do three things each year:
- Identify modern slavery risks across their operations and supply chains
- Publish a modern slavery statement describing the risks found and the actions taken to address them
- Lodge the statement on a public register, making reporting transparent and easier to scrutinise
Oversight, penalties and personal liability
This bill is not only about transparency. It is designed to be enforceable, with a clear oversight model and penalties for organisations that fail to comply.
Based on what has been published so far, the framework would include:
- Oversight involving the New Zealand Human Rights Commission
- A public register of modern slavery statements
- Fines for failing to report, or for making false or misleading statements (with figures referenced up to NZ$200,000)
- Civil penalties referenced up to NZ$600,000
This is the part boards tend to focus on early. It shifts modern slavery reporting from a reputational consideration to a compliance obligation, where poor reporting, weak governance, or overconfident statements can carry real consequences.
Timing and what happens next
Two dates are worth highlighting:
- The bill is expected to be introduced to Parliament on 10 February 2026, using Standing Order 288.
- The sponsors have signalled an intent to move quickly, including commentary that there may be no transition period, meaning in-scope companies would need to be ready to report early.
What businesses should do now
Even before the bill is introduced, large organisations can get practical value from treating this as a readiness exercise.
- Confirm scope
Do you meet the NZ$100m revenue threshold, and do you have New Zealand operations that bring you in-country?
- Map your supply chain risk hotspots
Start with categories that commonly carry elevated risk: labour hire, cleaning, facilities, construction, manufacturing inputs, logistics, high-risk geographies, and complex subcontracting.
- Decide what you will measure and report
A credible statement needs more than a policy link. Prepare to evidence governance ownership, risk assessment approach, due diligence steps, supplier engagement, training and awareness, escalation routes, and remediation.
- Stress test your escalation and remediation
If you identify a potential issue, can you triage it, investigate, remediate, and document decisions properly?
- Build your statement pack early
If there is no transition period, the companies that look organised will be the ones that already have reporting artefacts ready to assemble.
VinciWorks’ modern slavery training
Modern slavery training helps organisations spot risk, respond consistently, and avoid being connected to exploitation through supplier relationships. With a range of options, VinciWorks’ modern slavery training suite is designed to meet the needs of an entire team, from general staff to procurement teams.
