Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a $4.7 billion package to fund services following a national cabinet meeting in Canberra on Friday.
"We know that a nationally coordinated approach is required to address this national crisis," the prime minister said.
"We must act to ensure women are safe. These horrific and disturbing deaths and vile violence must be prevented."
Mr Albanese said the federal government would provide $3.9 billion over five years, in support for frontline legal assistance services.
He said $351 million will be committed for the National Partnership Agreement, which will be matched by the states and territories, and will become available from July 2025.
Anti-violence campaigners are urging governments to increase funding to tackle the societal scourge. (Stephanie Gardiner/AAP PHOTOS)
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley said the coalition was concerned by reports the money would not immediately flow through to where it was needed.
"If that is the case, on the trajectory we are on, 40 women will be killed and many more women and children harmed between today's announcement and that funding kicking in," she said.
"Domestic violence is above politics but we will hold Labor accountable for their promises to Australian women and children and for their delay in demanding a more rapid response from the states and territories."
Legal aid services across the country want national cabinet to commit $317 million a year to meet demand for family law and domestic violence services, with vulnerable women being turned away.
Legal Aid NSW senior solicitor Melanie Alexander said of her six to 10 clients a day, most women presented with "a real risk of them, or their children, being harmed".
Areas identified as needing urgent reform to reduce violence included a failure to protect vulnerable children in the youth justice system and the prevalence of alcohol.
National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds said a tough-on-crime rhetoric was counterintuitive as it only increased the chances of reoffending.
Anne Hollonds says locking up children isn't the solution. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)
"We're putting politics ahead of prevention," she told AAP.
"It sounds good because it sounds tough on crime, but it's not based on evidence and that will not keep the community safer."
Ms Hollonds said this was because locked-up kids had high recidivism rates and learned more about criminal behaviour while behind bars.
Increasing prison time to act as a deterrence against crime was not effective as children aged 11 or 12 were not making a calculation before committing an offence, she said.
"Children are not making their decision about whether to steal food or a car based on how long the sentence will be - it's a preposterous notion."
Governments needed to recognise children committing crime meant their basic needs were not being met, whether this be housing, family care or mental health, the commissioner said.
Restrictions on alcohol sales, delivery times and advertising as well as stronger regulation have been called for to address the role alcohol played in domestic and sexual violence.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
13YARN 13 92 76
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