Survivors of these human rights abuses have suffered harm and trauma. The right to an effective remedy is long established in international law and in Australia.  While some survivors can make claims to State or Territory schemes, many are excluded. The State and Territory schemes are simply not designed to provide compensation for Commonwealth crimes such as slavery, servitude or forced labour.  The report draws on extensive research, advocacy and experiences of Anti-Slavery Australia and the Law Council of Australia. In preparing the paper, ASA and the LCA consulted with a range of civil society organisations and government agencies and received valuable feedback.

Anti-Slavery Australia and the Law Council of Australia consider that it is essential to develop a national compensation scheme as part of Australia’s response to human trafficking.