Firms stress need to keep up with worker exploitation bill’s progress, implications
Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, and Russell McVeagh have noted that members of Parliament from the National and Labour parties have united to introduce a co-sponsored member’s bill on modern slavery and worker exploitation legislation to Parliament on 10 February 2026.
Insights posted on the three firms’ websites discussed the cross-party member’s bill, which bypassed “the biscuit tin,” the random ballot process for choosing which member’s bills would proceed to introduction.
Bell Gully’s insight – which included contributions from Auckland-based partners Richard Massey, Liz Coats, Laura Littlewood, and Blair Keown – acknowledged that this advancement in modern slavery legislation came after several years of uncertainty.
The firm noted that the bill’s co-sponsors – National’s Greg Fleming and Labour’s Camilla Belich – will introduce the bill via Standing Order 288.
Bell Gully emphasised that the bill marks the first use of the new standing orders pathway, which allows automatic introduction if a bill has received the votes of at least 61 non-executive MPs, with ministers or under-secretaries excluded.
Bell Gully noted that the bill, which will utilise a disclosure-based model, will apply to organisations operating in New Zealand with annual revenue exceeding $100m.
Bell Gully, Chapman Tripp, and Russell McVeagh explained that the bill, if passed, will require affected entities to report annually on how they identify, address, mitigate, and remediate the risks and incidents of modern slavery and worker exploitation, including human trafficking, within their operations and supply chains.
Bell Gully added that the bill may include personal liability for directors and senior managers, as well as civil penalties and fines for breaches by reporting entities.
According to Bell Gully, under the bill, companies above the $100m annual revenue threshold will face a substantial regulatory burden.
Chapman Tripp’s insight pointed out that the proposed bill will align New Zealand with the UK, which enacted similar legislation in 2015, and Australia, which has mandated reporting since 2018.
“New Zealand will also have the advantage of their experience – with recent reviews in both jurisdictions, and with the Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner raising concerns last year about the state of Australian reporting,” stated Chapman Tripp’s insight.
Bell Gully suggested that impacted entities prepare early for the potentially accelerated commencement of the legislation, given that the bill’s co-sponsors have indicated that there will be no transition period.
Russell McVeagh’s insight – with contributions from partners Petra Carey, Hannah Wilson, and Ian Beaumont, as well as special counsel Hannah Bain and senior associate Helen Liava'a – suggested that affected organisations be ready to add mandatory modern slavery reporting to the usual annual reporting documents.
Bell Gully also made the following suggestions:
Chapman Tripp’s insight explained that the planned bill will undergo its first reading on Parliament’s next sitting day on 10 February 2026, then proceed to the select committee stage.
Bell Gully’s insight stressed the importance of engaging in the consultation and participating in the select committee process, especially in connection with contentious areas like personal liability and enforcement consequences.
According to Russell McVeagh’s insight, through the legislative process, organisations will have “an important opportunity to influence the regulatory settings, with ‘lessons learnt’ from the recent implementation of mandatory climate-related disclosures likely to be front of mind.”
Bell Gully noted that the bill’s co-sponsors expect the bill’s enactment later this year, prior to the November election.
“The extent to which progress can be made in election year in the context of a very full legislative agenda remains to be seen – but with support from both Labour and National, we can expect the legislation to endure as a priority beyond the election,” stated Chapman Tripp’s insight.
Previously, Fleming and Belich had separately introduced individual members' bills for modern slavery reform, as noted by Russell McVeagh.
