Mr Abbott, in response to Australian of the Year Rosie Batty calling for family violence to be addressed like terrorism, said on Thursday: “We shouldn’t forget, though, that an enormous amount is already being done.”

He said, while $100 million had been allocated for an action strategy, more money would be available for recommendations presented by a taskforce of which Ms Batty was a member.

Last month Ms Batty, whose son was murdered by his father last year, criticised the lack of funding for family violence services in the federal budget. 

She expressed frustration with the government’s rhetoric on family violence which had not been backed up with significant action or funding.

In the federal budget, there was only $16.7 million over three years to help fund a $30 million awareness raising campaign. There was no commitment made to funding frontline services for families directly impacted by family violence now.

Ms Batty also described the $16.7 million budgeted for the campaign as meagre, compared with $1.2 billion allocated to tackle the terror threat.

She believes the community should start talking about family violence as “family terrorism” in an effort to raise not only awareness through the shock factor, but also more funding. Earlier this year the federal government announced membership of its specially convened advisory panel to reduce violence against women. 

Former Victorian Police Commissioner Ken Lay will chair the panel, with domestic violence advocate Ms Batty as deputy chair. 

Forming of advisory boards and panels is all well and good, but the federal government needs to put its money where its mouth is. 

How can you compare $16.5 million towards an awareness raising campaign for family violence with $1.2 billion – that’s “b” for billion – to tackle the terror threat.

Family violence, which so far this year has killed more than 42 people,  is terror... it’s terror in the home. It’s where women and children feel terrorised by their abuser, whether that be physical, emotional, psychological or financial.

 It’s living in fear for their lives.

It deserves more than just lip service.