New South Wales Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at targeting so-called "violence brokers" who facilitate contract killings and other violent crimes through the dark web. The proposed laws seek to criminalize individuals acting as intermediaries in Sydney’s organised crime networks, particularly those recruiting young offenders to carry out illegal activities.

The NSW Crime Commission has identified a rise in middlemen orchestrating "crime as a service," connecting organised crime groups with lower-level operatives willing to commit acts of violence. In its 2024-25 report, the Commission described how these violence brokers provide access not only to contract criminals but also to weapons, vehicles, and other tools necessary for serious offences. This role creates a layer of separation between the organisers of violence and those who ultimately carry it out, complicating law enforcement efforts to secure arrests and prosecutions.

Under the Coalition’s proposal, anyone found acting as or using a violence broker would face penalties of up to 16 years in prison. The maximum sentence would increase to 20 years if the offence involves a child. The legislation would clearly define a violence broker as a person who identifies potential criminals for hire, facilitates the hiring of contract offenders, or supplies weapons and vehicles to commit serious crimes.

Sloane emphasised the need to go after those responsible for recruiting young criminals as well as targeting the financial gains derived from organised crime. The Coalition plans to double funding for the NSW Crime Commission’s efforts to confiscate unexplained wealth linked to illegal activities.

“Sydney families are sick of their suburbs being turned into battlegrounds,” Sloane said, criticising the Minns Labor government for not adequately addressing the evolving tactics of organised criminals.

The announcement follows recent revelations about an escalating feud between the Alameddine crime gang and a rival group known as the Coconut Cartel, which have contributed to increased street violence in Sydney. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Cook has highlighted the exploitation of teenagers as "disposable gangsters" used to carry out violent acts on behalf of crime bosses.

Earlier this year, the Coalition attempted to introduce standard non-parole periods for organised crime offences as part of the state’s anti-gang legislation, but the amendments were rejected by the Labor government.

The proposed legislation marks the Coalition’s latest effort to curb Sydney’s gang violence by disrupting the networks that facilitate and profit from criminal violence on the city’s streets.