Criminal Code Act 1995

Schedule - The Criminal Code  

Section 3

CHAPTER 8 - OFFENCES AGAINST HUMANITY AND RELATED OFFENCES  

Division 270 - Slavery and slavery-like offences  

Subdivision B - Slavery  

SECTION 270.3   Slavery offences  

(1)    
A person who, whether within or outside Australia, intentionally:

(aa) reduces a person to slavery; or

(a) possesses a slave or exercises over a slave any of the other powers attaching to the right of ownership; or

(b) engages in slave trading; or

(c) enters into any commercial transaction involving a slave; or

(d) exercises control or direction over, or provides finance for:

(i) any act of slave trading; or

(ii) any commercial transaction involving a slave;

commits an offence.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 25 years.

(2)    
A person who:

(a) whether within or outside Australia:

(i) enters into any commercial transaction involving a slave; or

(ii) exercises control or direction over, or provides finance for, any commercial transaction involving a slave; or

(iii) exercises control or direction over, or provides finance for, any act of slave trading; and

(b) is reckless as to whether the transaction or act involves a slave, slavery, slave trading or the reduction of a person to slavery;

commits an offence.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 17 years.

(3)    

In this section:

slave trading
includes:

(a) the capture, transport or disposal of a person with the intention of reducing the person to slavery; or

(b) the purchase or sale of a slave.

commercial transaction involving a slave
includes a commercial transaction by which a person is reduced to slavery.

(4)    
A person who engages in any conduct with the intention of securing the release of a person from slavery does not commit an offence against this section.

(5)    
The defendant bears a legal burden of proving the matter mentioned in subsection (4) .