The New South Wales Government has announced sweeping new laws aimed at dismantling organised crime networks in Sydney, as reports emerge that children are being paid as little as $5,000 to steal vehicles for criminal syndicates. The reforms specifically target so-called 'kill cars', public shootings, firebombings, and the recruitment of minors into organised crime, amid escalating concerns over gang-related violence in the city.
Children recruited via encrypted apps
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley revealed that criminal groups are using encrypted applications and devices to lure young people into committing offences on their behalf. 'These kids don't even know who they're dealing with,' Catley told Sunrise on Wednesday. She stated that some children are offered only a small sum of money for their involvement, with approximately $5,000 being paid for stealing a car.
'We want to target the handlers. We want to target the kingpins, and we want to put them behind bars,' Catley emphasised.
New penalties for recruiting children
Under the proposed legislation, recruiting a child to engage in criminal activity would carry a maximum penalty of 12 years' imprisonment. This penalty would increase to 15 years if the child is under the age of 16. Additionally, a new aggravated offence punishable by up to 15 years in jail would apply when a child is recruited to steal cars or commit serious organised crime offences.
Tougher penalties for 'kill cars'
The Government is also introducing stricter penalties for 'kill cars'—stolen vehicles fitted with cloned number plates that are often set alight after being used in crimes. A new aggravated offence for destroying a vehicle by fire after it has been used in serious offences, including firearms supply, drug trafficking, and illicit tobacco crime, would carry a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison.
Catley said the people of Sydney are 'sick to death' of criminal gangs 'playing out their vendettas' in public. 'We can see that it's incredibly dangerous, obviously, and we don't want innocent people to get caught up in all of that,' she added.
Additional measures
The reforms also include tougher penalties for public shootings and firebombings, expanded police powers to access encrypted devices, stronger proceeds of crime laws, and tighter bail rules for serious organised crime offences. These measures aim to disrupt the operations of criminal networks and protect the community from escalating gang violence.
