New Zealand Proposes Increased Penalties for Human Trafficking Offences

In a significant legislative development, New Zealand has introduced the Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill. The bill was presented to Parliament by Greg Fleming of the National Party representing Maungakiekie.

This legislative proposal comes in response to New Zealand's downgrade from Tier 1 to Tier 2 status in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, a shift that occurred in 2021. The TIP report criticized New Zealand for inadequate anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts and failing to meet international obligations.

The amendment aims to address these criticisms by aligning penalties for domestic human trafficking offences with those for international cases. It was initially inspired by two high school students from Rolleston High School, Alex Prendergast and Kaylee Hill. They discovered a discrepancy in Section 98AA of the Crimes Act 1961 during a school project, noting that penalties for international trafficking were more severe than for domestic exploitation.

Greg Fleming, who later took up this cause, highlighted the bill's importance as an initial step toward addressing New Zealand's deficiencies in anti-trafficking laws. He noted that while the amendment is crucial for meeting TIP report recommendations, further measures would be necessary to fully reclaim New Zealand's Tier 1 status.

Fleming acknowledged contributions from various experts who have assisted with developing the proposed amendments. These experts include Rebekah Armstrong of World Vision; Natalia Szablewska, a professor in law and society; Keir Duncan, a solicitor at Meredith Connell; Rebecca Kingi, a trafficking-in-persons specialist; Jacob Parry, a barrister and former Crown prosecutor; Clayton Walker, a Crown prosecutor at Elvidge's; and Rebecca Thompson of the Crown Law Office.

In his presentation, Fleming emphasized New Zealand's moral and legal obligations to combat human trafficking. He quoted Kaylee Hill: "As a country that prides itself on values of fairness, justice, and human dignity, we have a moral and legal obligation to not only meet but exceed our commitments to combating human trafficking." Fleming stressed the importance of comprehensive prevention, protection, and prosecution efforts.

The debate was interrupted and set down for resumption at the next sitting day. The bill represents a critical legislative effort to address human trafficking in New Zealand, reflecting both grassroots advocacy by students and expert input.