This marks the first use of the “Rule of 61” mechanism
The Modern Slavery Bill has obtained joint sponsorship from Labour MP Camilla Belich and National Party MP Greg Fleming, reported LawNews.
The bill was introduced to parliament through the inaugural use of the “Rule of 61” parliamentary mechanism, which permits members’ bills to leapfrog the traditional “biscuit-tin ballot” if they are backed by a minimum of 61 MPs. Under the Modern Slavery Bill, companies operating in New Zealand with annual revenues exceeding $100m must submit yearly reports detailing modern slavery risks in their supply chains and how these are supervised.
Companies that fail to comply or provide false information could be issued criminal fines of up to $200,000 or civil penalties of up to $600,000. The legislation also includes provisions for supporting victims and ensuring that resources are in place to ban modern slavery practices.
Belich defined modern slavery as encompassing child labour, servitude, exploitative labour practices, and sexual exploitation. The Human Rights Commission estimated that up to 8,000 workers in New Zealand experience slave-like conditions.
Advocacy organisations have long called for a standalone modern slavery framework, highlighting that existing laws criminalise slavery but do not mandate public corporate reporting. The bill aims to improve supply-chain transparency and strengthen worker protections, a shift supporters say could make New Zealand’s corporate reporting more robust and comparable to international standards. Lawyers tracking the bill note that if passed before the next general election, reporting obligations could come into effect by early 2027, with companies submitting their first reports in 2028.
MPs executed the mechanism after workplace relations minister Brooke van Velden (ACT Party) declined to support it as a government bill, citing existing legislation as sufficient.
“It’s really disappointing that we needed to do this and it wasn’t able to be a government bill,” Belich told LawNews. “But the fact that we were able to make the deal shows that political parties can, on issues where we agree, put politics aside and move forward with pragmatic decisions that the vast majority of New Zealand would support.”
