Kmart accused of misleading over slave labour supplies
An Australian-based Uyghur group has filed a lawsuit against the outlet in the Federal Court, seeking to gain documents so they can see whether it knowingly sourced stock from suppliers who used forced labour from those in the ethnic group.
In its ethical sourcing statement, Kmart said it aimed to provide products that respected human rights according to its ethical sourcing code which committed to abiding by international standards, including guidelines set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The lawsuit filed by the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association claims Kmart included on its 2024 and 2025 factory lists two suppliers with links to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
It said this region in China's west has been well-documented for "systemic state-sponsored forced labour and other atrocities against Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim people".
The group wants proof from Kmart that it has abided by its ethical sourcing promises regarding these suppliers and whether its public statements have been misleading or deceptive.
Kmart must ensure it is not profiting off forced labour in China, association president Ramila Chanisheff said.
"We're demanding answers from Kmart so we know whether its actions live up to its words about addressing forced labour risks in its supply chain," she said.
The retailer risks a legal claim that it breached Australian Consumer Law by misleading and deceptive conduct if documents show it had failed to monitor the risk of it using forced labour in its supply chain.
Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jennifer Kanis said the firm was using this first-of-its-kind case to bring real accountability to Australian retailers.
"Kmart tells customers that it supports ethical sourcing and the protection of human rights – but we know there are credible links between two of its factories and suppliers and the use of Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang," Ms Kanis said.
Human Rights Law Centre associate legal director Freya Dinshaw said the case highlighted the weaknesses in Australia's laws when members of the public are left to take companies to court on suspicions of modern slavery.
Unlike the United States, Australia has not banned imports of products made in the Xinjiang region, instead opting for a transparency approach which requires businesses to report annually on their actions to identify and address slavery risks.
Wesfarmers, the parent company of Kmart, has been contacted for comment.
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West Australian
29 minutes ago
- West Australian
Urgent action needed to start decommissioning industry, warn unions and green groups
Thousands of jobs could be created in WA to handle tens of billions of dollars in work recycling old offshore oil and gas rigs – but only if governments stop dragging their feet and act urgently on a plan to kickstart a decommissioning industry. Unions and environmental groups have united to call for urgent action and get sods turned on a new WA decommissioning hub within the next two years. Otherwise, they warn, Australia will lose out on the lucrative industry to countries such as Brunei and Denmark. Dismantling and recycling the five million tonnes of oil and gas infrastructure off WA's coast has the potential to be a multibillion-dollar industry for the State as projects reach the end of their lifetime. But research from the Centre of Decommissioning Australia — an independent organisation that works with industry and government — found about half of the $61 billion worth of decommissioning work needs to start within the next decade, and three-quarters by 2040. A coalition consisting of Unions WA, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, the Maritime Union of Australia, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, the Electrical Trades Union, the Conservation Council WA and the Wilderness Society says WA cannot wait much longer if it is to benefit from this potential. 'If WA doesn't get its act together, then we risk missing out,' Greenpeace's WA campaign lead Geoff Bice told The West. 'Given the amount of work that needs to be done to get it ready, we'd like to see action on this in this term of government … If it gets pushed out beyond the next election cycle, that's getting into too-late territory.' Resources Minister Madeleine King launched a decommissioning roadmap in December while Premier Roger Cook included the sector as a priority in his Made in WA election plan, which identified Ashburton as the site of a decommissioning hub. Mr Bice said not enough had been done since the launch of these plans and it was time to see actual decisions made. The report launched on Monday anticipates thousands of jobs would be created in building a WA decommissioning hub, and hundreds more for its ongoing operations and maintenance. Already, Australia is missing out on work: the Federal Government sent the Northern Endeavour floating production, storage and offloading vessel to Denmark for decommissioning, while Santos is also expected to dispose of its Ningaloo Vision FPSO overseas. Brunei is opening a new decommissioning facility this year, further increasing competition. AMWU WA secretary Steve McCartney said getting the industry moving domestically would create jobs in Australia and offer opportunities to feed green steel projects, another focus for the Federal government. 'Not only would this help stand up green steel projects in the South West, it would provide long-term and stable onshore demand so we never see another debacle like the Northern Endeavour work being stolen from Australian workers ever again,' he said. Ms King said the Government was 'determined to build a strong decommissioning industry' in Australia to create jobs here as work scaled up in coming years with oil and gas companies obliged to deal with infrastructure at the end of projects. 'This is not an optional requirement. It is the responsibility of industry to remove all infrastructure and rehabilitate the production area,' she said. Australian Energy Producers chief executive Samantha McCulloch said the oil and gas sector would draw on decades of operational expertise and the capabilities of its highly skilled workforce to back safe and efficient decommissioning of its infrastructure.
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Great friends' Australia, NZ vow closer defence ties
China's assertiveness is pushing Australia and New Zealand's militaries ever-closer, with the Kiwi leader declaring the nation's defence forces should become as "interoperable as possible". Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon ended a warm weekend together in the cold, atop a glacier near the South Island ski resort town of Queenstown on Sunday. The pair traded some friendly banter about which country could lay claim to the invention of the pavlova at the end of their annual leaders' meeting. But in a gesture of peace, Mr Luxon met his trans-Tasman partner halfway, offering a dessert with one side adorned with kiwifruit while the other was generously topped with Tim-Tams. "We have solved a centuries-old debate," the New Zealand prime minister said in a video posted to social media featuring the sweet treat. Despite sitting on opposing sides of the left-right political divide, the interaction showed the close personal relationship between Mr Luxon and Mr Albanese. The pair developed a friendship when the former worked as an Air New Zealand chief executive while the now-Australian prime minister served as transport minister. Earlier on Sunday, the leaders visited an Anzac memorial at the nearby town of Arrowtown and laid wreaths to commemorate soldiers from both countries fallen side-by-side in joint battle. "When Australians think of New Zealand, we think of the Anzacs and we think of the sacrifice that we've made together in defence of our freedom," Mr Albanese told reporters. "Australia and New Zealand are great friends. We think alike and we act alike on the international stage." Mr Albanese and Mr Luxon vowed to further integrate the two nations' economies as the regional partners face the "most unpredictable and dangerous" strategic environment in decades. New Zealand has in recent decades sought to maintain a more independent foreign policy to Australia, retreating from the ANZUS alliance in the 1980s after banning US nuclear-powered submarines from its ports. But since the election of the conservative Mr Luxon in 2023 and amid increasing Chinese military assertiveness in the Pacific, the tone has shifted. Mr Luxon has spoken positively of Australia acquiring nuclear submarines through the AUKUS pact and on Sunday he floated the possibility of piggy-backing onto Australia's deal to acquire 10 frigates from Japan, further increasing interoperability between the two nations' militaries. New Zealand's upcoming bid to replace its naval helicopter fleet was another example where it could co-ordinate its military hardware with Australia. "We want to make sure that they're as interoperable as possible with the Australians when we go to market," Mr Luxon said. "We actually want to present joint procurement bids for those things that we can tap on the New Zealand requirements, and as a result, lower the collective cost for each of those individual items for each country." The move to tie New Zealand defence forces closely to those of Australia and allies like the US has been criticised as threatening its independent foreign policy, including by former longstanding Labour prime minister Helen Clark. But University of Otago politics researcher Nicholas Khoo said strengthening military co-operation was appropriate given the increasing uncertainty in international politics. "It's an area where we could legitimately expect to see very real progress," he told AAP. Prof Khoo said the meeting showed the two neighbours' "steady build-up" of co-operation, which didn't exist until two years ago. New Zealand only had one alliance-level partner in Australia and the summit showed its investment in that relationship, he said. Co-operation was also seen as a way to help both countries achieve their goals of boosting economic productivity, including by renewing joint standards arrangements to streamline regulations in various sectors. The pair spoke with business leaders on Saturday evening about removing regulatory pinchpoints to make it easier to operate across the two countries, Mr Luxon said. "We want the barnacles off the boat, to go as quickly as we can for both countries that are trying to improve productivity," he said. China's assertiveness is pushing Australia and New Zealand's militaries ever-closer, with the Kiwi leader declaring the nation's defence forces should become as "interoperable as possible". Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon ended a warm weekend together in the cold, atop a glacier near the South Island ski resort town of Queenstown on Sunday. The pair traded some friendly banter about which country could lay claim to the invention of the pavlova at the end of their annual leaders' meeting. But in a gesture of peace, Mr Luxon met his trans-Tasman partner halfway, offering a dessert with one side adorned with kiwifruit while the other was generously topped with Tim-Tams. "We have solved a centuries-old debate," the New Zealand prime minister said in a video posted to social media featuring the sweet treat. Despite sitting on opposing sides of the left-right political divide, the interaction showed the close personal relationship between Mr Luxon and Mr Albanese. The pair developed a friendship when the former worked as an Air New Zealand chief executive while the now-Australian prime minister served as transport minister. Earlier on Sunday, the leaders visited an Anzac memorial at the nearby town of Arrowtown and laid wreaths to commemorate soldiers from both countries fallen side-by-side in joint battle. "When Australians think of New Zealand, we think of the Anzacs and we think of the sacrifice that we've made together in defence of our freedom," Mr Albanese told reporters. "Australia and New Zealand are great friends. We think alike and we act alike on the international stage." Mr Albanese and Mr Luxon vowed to further integrate the two nations' economies as the regional partners face the "most unpredictable and dangerous" strategic environment in decades. New Zealand has in recent decades sought to maintain a more independent foreign policy to Australia, retreating from the ANZUS alliance in the 1980s after banning US nuclear-powered submarines from its ports. But since the election of the conservative Mr Luxon in 2023 and amid increasing Chinese military assertiveness in the Pacific, the tone has shifted. Mr Luxon has spoken positively of Australia acquiring nuclear submarines through the AUKUS pact and on Sunday he floated the possibility of piggy-backing onto Australia's deal to acquire 10 frigates from Japan, further increasing interoperability between the two nations' militaries. New Zealand's upcoming bid to replace its naval helicopter fleet was another example where it could co-ordinate its military hardware with Australia. "We want to make sure that they're as interoperable as possible with the Australians when we go to market," Mr Luxon said. "We actually want to present joint procurement bids for those things that we can tap on the New Zealand requirements, and as a result, lower the collective cost for each of those individual items for each country." The move to tie New Zealand defence forces closely to those of Australia and allies like the US has been criticised as threatening its independent foreign policy, including by former longstanding Labour prime minister Helen Clark. But University of Otago politics researcher Nicholas Khoo said strengthening military co-operation was appropriate given the increasing uncertainty in international politics. "It's an area where we could legitimately expect to see very real progress," he told AAP. Prof Khoo said the meeting showed the two neighbours' "steady build-up" of co-operation, which didn't exist until two years ago. New Zealand only had one alliance-level partner in Australia and the summit showed its investment in that relationship, he said. Co-operation was also seen as a way to help both countries achieve their goals of boosting economic productivity, including by renewing joint standards arrangements to streamline regulations in various sectors. The pair spoke with business leaders on Saturday evening about removing regulatory pinchpoints to make it easier to operate across the two countries, Mr Luxon said. "We want the barnacles off the boat, to go as quickly as we can for both countries that are trying to improve productivity," he said. China's assertiveness is pushing Australia and New Zealand's militaries ever-closer, with the Kiwi leader declaring the nation's defence forces should become as "interoperable as possible". Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon ended a warm weekend together in the cold, atop a glacier near the South Island ski resort town of Queenstown on Sunday. The pair traded some friendly banter about which country could lay claim to the invention of the pavlova at the end of their annual leaders' meeting. But in a gesture of peace, Mr Luxon met his trans-Tasman partner halfway, offering a dessert with one side adorned with kiwifruit while the other was generously topped with Tim-Tams. "We have solved a centuries-old debate," the New Zealand prime minister said in a video posted to social media featuring the sweet treat. Despite sitting on opposing sides of the left-right political divide, the interaction showed the close personal relationship between Mr Luxon and Mr Albanese. The pair developed a friendship when the former worked as an Air New Zealand chief executive while the now-Australian prime minister served as transport minister. Earlier on Sunday, the leaders visited an Anzac memorial at the nearby town of Arrowtown and laid wreaths to commemorate soldiers from both countries fallen side-by-side in joint battle. "When Australians think of New Zealand, we think of the Anzacs and we think of the sacrifice that we've made together in defence of our freedom," Mr Albanese told reporters. "Australia and New Zealand are great friends. We think alike and we act alike on the international stage." Mr Albanese and Mr Luxon vowed to further integrate the two nations' economies as the regional partners face the "most unpredictable and dangerous" strategic environment in decades. New Zealand has in recent decades sought to maintain a more independent foreign policy to Australia, retreating from the ANZUS alliance in the 1980s after banning US nuclear-powered submarines from its ports. But since the election of the conservative Mr Luxon in 2023 and amid increasing Chinese military assertiveness in the Pacific, the tone has shifted. Mr Luxon has spoken positively of Australia acquiring nuclear submarines through the AUKUS pact and on Sunday he floated the possibility of piggy-backing onto Australia's deal to acquire 10 frigates from Japan, further increasing interoperability between the two nations' militaries. New Zealand's upcoming bid to replace its naval helicopter fleet was another example where it could co-ordinate its military hardware with Australia. "We want to make sure that they're as interoperable as possible with the Australians when we go to market," Mr Luxon said. "We actually want to present joint procurement bids for those things that we can tap on the New Zealand requirements, and as a result, lower the collective cost for each of those individual items for each country." The move to tie New Zealand defence forces closely to those of Australia and allies like the US has been criticised as threatening its independent foreign policy, including by former longstanding Labour prime minister Helen Clark. But University of Otago politics researcher Nicholas Khoo said strengthening military co-operation was appropriate given the increasing uncertainty in international politics. "It's an area where we could legitimately expect to see very real progress," he told AAP. Prof Khoo said the meeting showed the two neighbours' "steady build-up" of co-operation, which didn't exist until two years ago. New Zealand only had one alliance-level partner in Australia and the summit showed its investment in that relationship, he said. Co-operation was also seen as a way to help both countries achieve their goals of boosting economic productivity, including by renewing joint standards arrangements to streamline regulations in various sectors. The pair spoke with business leaders on Saturday evening about removing regulatory pinchpoints to make it easier to operate across the two countries, Mr Luxon said. "We want the barnacles off the boat, to go as quickly as we can for both countries that are trying to improve productivity," he said. China's assertiveness is pushing Australia and New Zealand's militaries ever-closer, with the Kiwi leader declaring the nation's defence forces should become as "interoperable as possible". Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon ended a warm weekend together in the cold, atop a glacier near the South Island ski resort town of Queenstown on Sunday. The pair traded some friendly banter about which country could lay claim to the invention of the pavlova at the end of their annual leaders' meeting. But in a gesture of peace, Mr Luxon met his trans-Tasman partner halfway, offering a dessert with one side adorned with kiwifruit while the other was generously topped with Tim-Tams. "We have solved a centuries-old debate," the New Zealand prime minister said in a video posted to social media featuring the sweet treat. Despite sitting on opposing sides of the left-right political divide, the interaction showed the close personal relationship between Mr Luxon and Mr Albanese. The pair developed a friendship when the former worked as an Air New Zealand chief executive while the now-Australian prime minister served as transport minister. Earlier on Sunday, the leaders visited an Anzac memorial at the nearby town of Arrowtown and laid wreaths to commemorate soldiers from both countries fallen side-by-side in joint battle. "When Australians think of New Zealand, we think of the Anzacs and we think of the sacrifice that we've made together in defence of our freedom," Mr Albanese told reporters. "Australia and New Zealand are great friends. We think alike and we act alike on the international stage." Mr Albanese and Mr Luxon vowed to further integrate the two nations' economies as the regional partners face the "most unpredictable and dangerous" strategic environment in decades. New Zealand has in recent decades sought to maintain a more independent foreign policy to Australia, retreating from the ANZUS alliance in the 1980s after banning US nuclear-powered submarines from its ports. But since the election of the conservative Mr Luxon in 2023 and amid increasing Chinese military assertiveness in the Pacific, the tone has shifted. Mr Luxon has spoken positively of Australia acquiring nuclear submarines through the AUKUS pact and on Sunday he floated the possibility of piggy-backing onto Australia's deal to acquire 10 frigates from Japan, further increasing interoperability between the two nations' militaries. New Zealand's upcoming bid to replace its naval helicopter fleet was another example where it could co-ordinate its military hardware with Australia. "We want to make sure that they're as interoperable as possible with the Australians when we go to market," Mr Luxon said. "We actually want to present joint procurement bids for those things that we can tap on the New Zealand requirements, and as a result, lower the collective cost for each of those individual items for each country." The move to tie New Zealand defence forces closely to those of Australia and allies like the US has been criticised as threatening its independent foreign policy, including by former longstanding Labour prime minister Helen Clark. But University of Otago politics researcher Nicholas Khoo said strengthening military co-operation was appropriate given the increasing uncertainty in international politics. "It's an area where we could legitimately expect to see very real progress," he told AAP. Prof Khoo said the meeting showed the two neighbours' "steady build-up" of co-operation, which didn't exist until two years ago. New Zealand only had one alliance-level partner in Australia and the summit showed its investment in that relationship, he said. Co-operation was also seen as a way to help both countries achieve their goals of boosting economic productivity, including by renewing joint standards arrangements to streamline regulations in various sectors. The pair spoke with business leaders on Saturday evening about removing regulatory pinchpoints to make it easier to operate across the two countries, Mr Luxon said. "We want the barnacles off the boat, to go as quickly as we can for both countries that are trying to improve productivity," he said.
7NEWS
5 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Dad who lost three kids to drunk driver sits down with their killer in jail
A father who lost his three children. And the man who killed them. Samuel Davidson was three times over the legal alcohol limit, drug-affected and out of control when the ute he was driving mounted a footpath and mowed down seven children in the 2020 Oatlands tragedy that shocked the nation. Next Sunday at 8.40pm on Seven and 7plus, 7NEWS Spotlight goes inside one of Australia's toughest maximum-security prisons for an unforgettable meeting between two men. Abdallah siblings Antony (13), Angelina (12), and Sienna (8), along with their cousin Veronique Sakr (11), were all killed instantly. Three other children were injured. Davidson was sentenced on appeal to 20 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 15 years. At the time, many Australians couldn't comprehend how parents Danny and Leila Abdallah publicly forgave him. But now, in an extraordinary act, Danny Abdallah's forgiveness reaches even deeper. Five years on from the tragedy, 7NEWS Spotlight has been granted rare access inside one of the country's harshest prisons to capture the raw and emotional encounter between a grieving father and the man who destroyed his world. It is an extraordinary television interview that challenges everything we think we know about restorative justice, remorse and forgiveness. For the first time, Australians will also hear from Davidson about that horrific day, including new revelations about the reasons behind his actions and the devastating consequences that followed. 7NEWS Spotlight 's Michael Usher, who has followed the Abdallahs' story since the beginning, said: 'For the past eight months, 7NEWS Spotlight has worked closely with Corrective Services NSW, lawyers and psychologists to make this possible. 'We spent a week inside one of Australia's hardest prisons where TV cameras are rarely allowed to speak with a high-risk, high-security inmate serving one of the longest sentences for his crime. 'Danny's journey to forgiveness has been long, complicated, and deeply emotional. 'What I witnessed inside those walls is something I never expected to see, and certainly never thought we'd be able to share with the Australian public.' Where does justice end and mercy begin? And can forgiveness ever truly heal? Don't miss this powerful 7NEWS Spotlight special, airing next Sunday, 17 August at 8.40pm on Seven and 7plus.
