Overview

• On August 5, the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association filed a Federal Court bid for preliminary disclosure of Kmart’s supply chain documents in a case over alleged forced labour ties to Xinjiang suppliers.
• Kmart denies sourcing products from forced labour camps and says its 15-year Ethical Sourcing Program includes audits, site visits and public factory lists to mitigate modern slavery risks.
• The lawsuit cites Jiangsu Guotai Guosheng and Jiangsu Lianfa Textile among Kmart’s listed factories and argues the retailer may have breached Australian Consumer Law by making misleading ethical sourcing claims.
• The case highlights gaps in Australia’s Modern Slavery Act, which mandates reporting but lacks import bans and strong enforcement compared with U.S. and EU measures.
• Human rights groups and United Nations reports detail crimes against humanity and potential genocide in Xinjiang, reinforcing demands for stronger corporate transparency and legislative reform.