The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged a dual Australian and Nigerian citizen with human trafficking after she allegedly lured 15 Papua New Guineans to Australia with a promise of full education scholarships between March 2021 and July 2023.
The AFP alleges that after promising the scholarships, the woman then forced the PNG nationals to sign legal documents agreeing to repay costs associated with tuition, airfares, visa applications, insurance and legal fees. The woman then allegedly forced them to work on farms in Queensland, receiving their wages which she withheld as repayments for their ‘debts’.
Appearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 11 June, the woman who is based primarily in PNG was charged with 31 offences relating to trafficking, deceptive recruiting for labour or services and engaging in conduct that caused a person to enter into debt bondage.
“Victims of debt bondage and other human trafficking offences can be lured to Australia with a promise of a dream career or free education, things they may not have access to in their country of origin,” said AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer.
“If the conditions of that promise change, it can leave victims in an extremely vulnerable situation in a foreign country, where they are likely to have little financial or emotional support, and face issues with language barriers.
In March 2023, former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Christine Nixon AO APM conducted a Rapid Review into the Exploitation of Australia’s Visa System. The Review found that Australia’s visa system was being used to facilitate sexual exploitation, human trafficking and other organised crime, and recommended system reform and discrete measures to address this.
