Hope and Hardship in Rural Queensland: Survivor Nick* Journey Towards
Confidence and Connection
Hope and hardship in rural Queensland are reflected in Nick’s experience. He was living in a remote area, with limited English and little local support. Therefore, he faced daily struggles just to get by.
Through small but steady steps, he began building confidence and gaining independence. The Freedom Hub Survivor School works to help people like Nick recover and rebuild their lives. So Nick now shares regular updates on his life with us, proudly showing the forms he can now complete, and the services he has accessed along the way. We love seeing survivors become confident and independent!
His journey is a powerful reminder that, with genuine care and connection, even the most isolated lives can change. Hope and hardship in rural Queensland go hand in hand, but so can resilience.
Modern Slavery in Queensland: Recent Developments and Challenges
Modern slavery in Queensland regularly manifests in the exploitation of migrant workers in sectors such as agriculture and meat processing. australiainstitute.org.aurmit.edu.au. The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, which brings Pacific Islander workers to fill labour shortages, has been creating conditions akin to indentured servitude by tying workers to a single sponsoring employer. rmit.edu.au. Recent studies and investigations highlight systemic issues under the scheme, including severe underpayment, excessive working hours (often unpaid overtime), and substandard, overcrowded living conditions for Pacific workers on Queensland farms. rmit.edu.au
In response to mounting evidence of abuse, the Australian government introduced reforms in 2024, such as a minimum net pay guarantee after deductions, pay parity with local workers, and tougher penalties for exploitative employers. However, The Freedom Hub and other human rights advocates contend that further steps (like allowing PALM workers to change employers) are still necessary to mitigate forced labour risks. abc.net.auabc.net.au. These developments reflect a growing recognition that segments of Queensland’s workforce face slavery-like conditions despite Australia’s robust legal framework. Therefore, we call for stronger oversight and enforcement to protect vulnerable workers. abc.net.au.
Coercion as a Pattern
Patterns of coercion have been documented among farm workers in Queensland’s horticulture sector, where Pacific Islander labourers reported being “treated like slaves” due to hundreds of dollars in weekly deductions and insufficient work hours that left them with negligible income. abc.net.au. Such cases show the need for rigorous enforcement of labour protections and improved support for at-risk workers, as emphasised in recent policy discussions and research on modern slavery in Australia. rmit.edu.au.
So by prioritising worker mobility, oversight of labour hire practices, and stronger legal remedies, current reforms aim to address the roots of exploitation in Queensland and ensure that temporary migrant workers are not trapped in servitude. rmit.edu.au dfat.gov.au.
What Is Modern Slavery?
Modern slavery refers to the serious exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain (ASA 2022a). It’s an umbrella term covering a range of abusive practices, including human trafficking, slavery, and slavery-like conditions (AGD 2020).
Forms of modern slavery can include:
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Slavery
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Human trafficking
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Forced labour
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Servitude
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Sexual exploitation
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Debt bondage
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Forced marriage
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Deceptive recruitment
What Do We Know About Modern Slavery?
Modern slavery doesn’t respect borders. As a result, it can involve the movement of people between countries or the online exploitation of vulnerable individuals. Therefore, tackling it requires global cooperation, with Australia working alongside other nations to combat these crimes (AGD 2020).
It’s difficult to know the true scale of modern slavery. Most data comes from reported cases through support services, police, or survey responses. Many people trapped in these situations aren’t counted. What’s more, escaping is incredibly hard; fear of authorities, deportation, or punishment often stops them from coming forward (Lyneham et al. 2019).
You can learn more about modern slavery here.
Get Involved
Help raise awareness and join our local volunteer team; contact us at The Freedom Hub.
If you would like to support our work, you can donate here.
For privacy reasons, the name in the story is not the survivor’s real name.