Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hopes to one day end the "national shame" of domestic violence, pledging $100 million for women escaping their abusive partners.
Making it clear the issue is a top priority for his government, Mr Turnbull used his first major announcement as prime minister to boost support services.
An emotional Australian of the Year Rosie Batty - whose 11-year-old son Luke was killed by his father - congratulated Mr Turnbull for starting to "walk the walk" with the package that improves legal access for victims.
It also funds practical measures, like 20,000 phones with pre-paid credit so women can discard their mobile - which can be tracked - and cut off perpetrators.
63 women, children killed this year
Already this year, 63 women and children have been violently killed in Australia - a figure Mr Turnbull labelled "a disgrace".
In the past fortnight alone, seven women and children have been killed, allegedly by family members.
"Violence against women is one of the great shames of Australia. It is a national disgrace," the prime minister told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.
He acknowledged it needs a cultural change for Australia to become known as a country which respects women.
"I'd say that as parents, one of the most important things we must do is ensure that our sons respect their mothers and their sisters," Mr Turnbull said.
He says he hopes it will one day become "un-Australian" to disrespect women.
'Chump change'
Flinders University's head of women's studies, Yvonne Corcoran-Nantes, says the funding sounds impressive but closer examination reveals it falls far short of what is needed.
Seven years ago, domestic violence was estimated to be costing the national economy $3.6 billion annually, Associate Professor Corcoran-Nantes said. She said that cost was probably more now.
"While $100 million is better than nothing, it's pitiful in the context of the scale of the challenge."
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'Children the hidden victim'
A South Australian victim support group has also questioned a lack of funding to help the children of parents killed as a result of domestic violence.
The Victim Support Service has called on the Turnbull government to fund trauma counselling for children who aren't eligible for SA services because they don't display severe behavioural or emotional issues after the murder of a parent.
"There needs to be some financial support so that those children can get access to things they need - a safe environment, access to medical services and psychological first aid," chief executive Julian Roffe told AAP on Thursday.
"The child is the hidden victim."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten welcomed the package as a "great start" but warned more needed to be done to scrub off the black mark on Australian society.
He urged the government to also reinstate $22 million cut from community legal centres.
Extra funding for frontline services
The package includes $36.5 million over three years to train frontline employees, including police, social and community workers and medical staff, with about a third of that going to an expanded "DV-alert" training program.
Domestic violence units will be established to provide access to coordinated legal, social work and cultural services for women in a single location, while duty lawyers will be placed in hospitals.
Another $17 million will help protect women in their homes with security assessments and measures like changing locks, scanning for bugs and installing CCTV cameras.
Extra money will be given to the 1800RESPECT helpline and counselling service and the MensLine service that helps abusers not to reoffend.
There's also a trial with the states of technology including GPS tracking of perpetrators and police-call buttons for victims.
Applause for the $100 million package
Minister for Women Michaelia Cash called it a game changer, while revealing Mr Turnbull made it clear to cabinet that respect for women was one of his priorities.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill welcomed the commonwealth's funding initiative and said the state was ready to make a financial contribution.
He said SA had already introduced important reforms to combat domestic violence and was willing to share those with the commonwealth.
"This is a national emergency," Mr Weatherill said.
"Too many women are dying at the hands of their partners.
Too many women are fearful of violence against them through their partners."
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NT Chief Minister Adam Giles has congratulated Malcolm Turnbull for setting aside funds for indigenous women suffering domestic violence, saying "it's encouraging to see such strong leadership from the prime minister".
More than $20 million of Mr Turnbull's $100 million package is dedicated to helping Indigenous women and communities.
It includes $3.6 million pledged for the Cross Border Domestic Violence Intelligence Desk, which shares information on victims and perpetrators who move around the cross border region of Western Australia, South Australia and the NT.
Tasmania's commitment of more than $25 million to combat domestic violence will be complemented by a federal plan worth four times as much in a combined effort necessary to tackle what is an appalling and horrifying scourge, Premier Will Hodgman says.
He said it was vital that all efforts be made to end recent "appalling and horrifying" acts of domestic violence that occurred too regularly across Australia.
Affected by domestic violence? Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732
