In a sobering development, Australia has moved to restrict the number of domestic workers foreign diplomats can bring into the country. The action follows revelations of systemic exploitation and “slave-like conditions” endured by these workers in diplomatic households, as highlighted by recent federal court cases.
Speaking after a visit to Australia, United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Prof Tomoya Obokata, shared that the government is now granting domestic worker visas to “a select few individuals” attached to diplomatic missions. This measure aims to curb the widespread abuse that has largely remained invisible behind the closed doors of diplomatic residences.
Court Cases Expose Horrific Abuse
The government’s crackdown was spurred by two high-profile federal court judgments that laid bare the appalling conditions endured by foreign domestic workers employed by diplomats in Australia.
Indian Diplomat Fined, But Victim Unpaid
In 2023, an Indian national was awarded a staggering $189,000 in unpaid wages and interest after toiling for a year in an Indian diplomat’s home for less than $9 a day. The diplomat was fined nearly $100,000, but both he and the Indian government deny wrongdoing. Shockingly, the exploited worker has yet to receive a cent of her court-ordered compensation.
Sri Lankan Worker “Entrapped” for Years
An even more egregious case came to light in August 2024, with a Sri Lankan mother awarded over half a million dollars for three years of exploitation. Working 14-hour days, 7 days a week, with only two days off spent in hospital, she was paid a pitiful 65 cents an hour. The court heard harrowing details of her passport being seized and not being given enough food – conditions the judge likened to being “entrapped within domestic servitude”.
Authorities Tight-Lipped on Visa Changes
Government departments have declined to provide specifics on how diplomatic domestic worker visas are being tightened in the wake of these damning cases. It remains unclear if particular diplomatic missions are being blacklisted or if broader restrictions have been imposed across the board.
Their invisibility breeds exploitation.
– Justice Elizabeth Raper
Spotlight on Migrant Worker Exploitation
The special rapporteur’s interim report has also sounded the alarm on the troubling treatment of temporary migrant workers in Australia more broadly. Obokata cited disturbing evidence of deceptive recruitment, underpayment, dangerous conditions, harassment, and violence – including sexual abuse – across various temporary visa streams.
Experts point to the fundamental power imbalance between employers and temporary migrant workers, who are often tethered to a single employer for their right to work and stay in Australia. This leaves workers vulnerable to threats and retaliation if they speak up about mistreatment.
All temporary migrant workers must have the ability to change their employer, this includes workers on the Palm programme, who are effectively bonded to their employer sponsor, meaning the employer essentially controls their paycheque and their passport – a huge modern slavery risk.
– Michele O’Neil, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australia’s “Wake-Up Call” on Modern Slavery
Advocates are hailing the special rapporteur’s findings as a “wake-up call” for Australian governments to confront the scourge of modern slavery and worker exploitation, particularly for vulnerable temporary visa holders. They are amplifying calls for reforms to untether migrant workers from abusive employers and bolster labor protections.
As Australia grapples with this entrenched issue, all eyes will be on the newly appointed anti-slavery commissioner to steer a national response. The diplomatic domestic worker visa restrictions signal a positive step, but much more action is needed to stamp out modern slavery in all its forms lurking within the country’s borders.
