‘Let us see the audits': Kmart faces legal battle over alleged links to Uyghur forced labour
The Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association (AUTWA) filed a Federal Court application on Monday seeking documentation from Kmart about what it knew of two clothing suppliers linked to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the Chinese government has systematically persecuted the Uyghur population and other Turkic minorities.
Represented by law firms Maurice Blackburn and the Human Rights Law Centre, AUTWA is looking to determine whether Kmart followed its ethical sourcing procedures and monitored risks to mount a future legal case that would allege Kmart breached consumer law by making misleading and deceptive statements.
In a statement, a Kmart spokesperson said the retailing giant had been corresponding with AUTWA's lawyers for more than 12 months and had provided 'extensive details' of its ethical sourcing program that had been in place for 15 years.
Loading
'We invited the AUTWA to meet with us several times to help us understand their concerns,' said the Kmart spokesperson. 'Suppliers in the Kmart ethical sourcing program are regularly monitored through activities including our site visits, audit programs and investigations if we receive any reports or complaints of concern.
'Where we learn of an alleged non-compliance with our code through an audit, site visit or complaint, or by a worker in a supplier's factory, we take action to investigate and remediate the issue, working collaboratively with the supplier.
'When remediation isn't possible due to the supplier's refusal to do so, or repeated failures to make meaningful changes, we will exit the relationship.'
However, Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jennifer Kanis said the Australian retailer's response during the 12 months of correspondence was 'not satisfactory' because it had repeated public assertions about its ethical sourcing without providing any evidence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AU Financial Review
8 minutes ago
- AU Financial Review
Trump's Fed pick puts the Aussie dollar in the spotlight
The Australian dollar could be one of the biggest beneficiaries from US President Donald Trump's continued attack on the independence of the Federal Reserve that has already unnerved financial markets and significantly weakened the greenback. Bank of America said of the world's 10 most traded currencies, buying the Aussie was the best way to trade the weakening US dollar, which it said could climb to as much as US69¢ from US64.61¢, currently.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Mineral Resources non-executive director and former Test cricketer Justin Langer quits battling miner's board
Former Test cricketer Justin Langer is stepping down as a non-executive director of Mineral Resources with immediate effect, marking yet another exit from the miner's boardroom. In a statement to market on Wednesday, the former coach of the Australian men's cricket team said he was 'not in a position to continue to give the time and focus that I believe MinRes deserves'. His resignation from the board will take effect from today. He joined in late 2023 and had been serving on the ethics and governance committee among others. The exiting director said it had been a privilege to serve on the board 'during a period of significant challenges and change for the company.' 'I thank Chris Ellison and the Board for their understanding of my position and I look forward to observing MinRes enter its next chapter,' he said. His exit comes after that of his fellow non-executive directors Jacqueline McGill, Susie Corlett and Denise McComish, who all left the company in April. More to come.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Asia shares track Wall Street lower, dollar struggling
Asian shares slipped along with Wall Street on Wednesday, after weak US data highlighted the damage tariffs were having on economic activity and earnings, while the dollar struggled with the drag from lower bond yields. US services sector activity unexpectedly flatlined in July, data showed on Tuesday. Employment further weakened and input costs climbed by the most in nearly three years, underscoring the impact from President Donald Trump's tariff policy. Second-quarter earnings results also revealed pressure from Trump's tariff wars. Taco Bell parent Yum Brands missed expectations as steep trade duties dent consumer spending, while Caterpillar warned that US tariffs would cost it up to $US1.5 billion ($A2.3 billion) this year. "It paints a picture of a stagflationary dynamic, which although still far from truly coming to fruition, raises the risk of a toxic mix of rising joblessness and prices as tariffs filter through the US economy," said Kyle Rodda, senior analyst at MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.2 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei eked out a small 0.2 per cent gain. Both Chinese blue chips and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index were flat. Nasdaq futures fell 0.3 per cent and S&P 500 futures eased 0.1 per cent. Trump on Tuesday said it would announce tariffs on semiconductors and chips in the next week or so, while the US would initially impose a "small tariff" on pharmaceutical imports before increasing it substantially in a year or two. He also said the US was close to a trade deal with China and that he would meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before the end of the year if an agreement was struck. However, he threatened to further raise tariffs on goods from India over its Russian oil purchases. In currency markets, the dollar consolidated after sliding from two-month highs last Friday on a weak jobs report that had markets price in a near-certain chance of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September. The dollar index, which measures the US currency against six counterparts, was flat at 98.821 and was up 0.1 per cent this week after Friday's 1.4 per cent fall. Fed funds futures imply a 94 per cent chance of a rate cut next month, with at least two cuts priced in for this year, according to the CME's FedWatch. Investors are waiting for Trump's pick to fill a coming vacancy on the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors. Trump said the decision will be made soon, while ruling out Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as a contender to replace current chief Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May 2026. Treasury yields edged up overnight after a $US58 billion ($A90 billion) auction of three-year notes went poorly, but still hovered near multi-month lows. More supply will hit the market this week with $US42 billion ($A65 billion) in 10-year notes on Wednesday and $US25 billion ($A39 billion) in 30-year bonds on Thursday. Two-year Treasury yields rose 1 basis point to 3.7284 per cent, having risen 3.5 bps overnight, while benchmark 10-year yields ticked up 2 bps to 4.2198 per cent, after holding steady overnight. In commodity markets, oil prices edged up after four straight sessions of declines. US crude rose 0.2 per cent to $US65.3 ($A100.8) per barrel, while Brent was at a one-month low of $US67.78 ($A104.63) per barrel, up 0.1 per cent. Trump said on Tuesday he will decide on whether to sanction countries who purchase Russian oil after a meeting with Russian officials scheduled for Wednesday. Spot gold prices were flat at $US3,381 ($A5,219) an ounce.
