August 26, 2016
Government rejects anti-slavery bill
Labour MP Peeni Henare says the government’s refusal to allow his anti-slavery bill to get a second reading sends a bad signal about New Zealand’s willingness to stand up for what is right.
The bill, which would have amended the Customs and Excise Act to prohibit importing of products of slave labour, was voted down by National, ACT and United Future’s Peter Dunne.
That means there won’t be a chance for people to present evidence at a select committee.
Mr Henare says the Government’s stance seemed to be it was all too hard.
"This is one of those opportunities for New Zealand to stand on it's own 2 feet to say to the world, just like we did when women suffrage came, when marriage equality came, all those things, it's important to make a stand and say, trading with countries that are involved or engaged in slave labour, is not good," says Peeni Henare.
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