I DOUBT that many in the Coffs and Nambucca community are surprised at the recent 4 Corners expose of modern slavery that is putting food on our plates, particularly in our local berry industry.
I am also sure that most in the community are horrified and want it to stop, as we have been hearing about it for years.
The submission by the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner Dr Cockayne to the NSW Inquiry into Modern Slavery has alerted us to the extent of exploitation and the lack of coordinated action by industry and government to address it.
Dr Cockayne’s submission should prompt anyone involved to ask themselves if, and how, they turned a blind eye to this exploitation.
Landlords and their agents renting substandard accommodation, farmers housing workers in overcrowded sheds, drivers transporting workers, charities and services supporting workers impacted.
Local councils and State and Federal Government must be called to open their eyes and act.
I was surprised to hear our local MP, Gurmesh Singh, on local radio acknowledge that there are issues with labour hire firms and say he had not been approached before about these allegations.
I read in the Sydney Morning Herald (“‘On notice for years’: Anti-slavery chief targets Nationals leader”, 5 August 2026) Mr Singh was quoted as saying that “Throughout my time in the industry, and in the eight years since, I have worked tirelessly to weed out bad actors, and support strong regulation of labour hire to better protect employees and farmers.”
Workers and advocates have been raising concerns for over a decade and the Anti Slavery Commissioner has brought his evidence to the NSW inquiry.
In his submission, Dr Cockayne states in Paragraph 77 that “there are some signs that these syndicates and the network of local producers to whom they maintain close connection may have deliberately cultivated influence within local government institutions and the ranks of public officials.”
Houston, we have a problem.
We have to ask: why has this taken so long, and also, why seek to shoot the messenger?
Dr Cockayne was appointed by the NSW Coalition Government in August 2022 and comes with more than 25 years’ experience working in Australia and internationally on counter-terrorism, anti-money laundering, investigation and prosecution of war crimes, and international extradition.
He is not the problem.
Making it about him just distracts and delays the crucial work that needs to be done to address the injustice on our doorstep.
Regards,
Wendy Backhous,
Emerald Beach.
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