MBIE has begun consultation on whether the public supports New Zealand becoming a party to the International Labour Organisation Forced Labour Protocol 2014.

The Protocol is a binding treaty-level instrument which addresses issues of modern slavery and forced labour. It supplements and modernises treaties on the topic that New Zealand is already party to.

The consultation asks for reasons why or why not New Zealand should ratify the Protocol and if there are any particular areas in New Zealand law, policy or practice that would need to be changed before New Zealand could ratify.

Submissions close on 14 April 2019.