VIC Up to Life in Jail for Recruiting Children to Commit Serious Crimes

Crimes Amendment (Recruitment of Children for Criminal Activity) Bill 2026

1 Sep 2026: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

Introduced by: Sonya Kilkenny (ALP); Jaclyn Symes (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Adults cannot recruit children to engage in tier 1 criminal activity (crimes that carry a first-conviction sentence of 15 years to life); this is conduct punishable by 15 years to life imprisonment.
Adults cannot recruit children to engage in tier 2 criminal activity (crimes that carry a first-conviction sentence of 5 to 15 years); this is conduct punishable by 5 to 15 years imprisonment.
An adult can be convicted of recruiting a child even if the child never actually commits the crime or is never charged with an offence.
Prosecutors cannot charge a person with more than one of these specific recruitment offences for the same set of facts.
These rules only apply to offences committed on or after the law starts.

Topics

child exploitation child protection child safety criminal justice criminal penalties criminal recruitment organized crime sentencing youth justice