Domestic violence package launched by PM

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.

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.

"Disrespecting women does not always result in violence against women, but violence against women begins with disrespecting women. And so this is a big cultural shift."

He says he hopes it will one day become "un-Australian" to disrespect women.

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.

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.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also 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.