Why experts say a royal commission into domestic violence is needed

A coalition of Illawarra frontline services identified a royal commission into domestic, family and sexual violence as the first of six requests of the state government, saying it would provide a blueprint to address the issue and provide a framework to hold the current and future governments to account.

But announcing a $230 million package to address domestic violence on Monday, Premier Chris Minns said there was no time and the money was needed elsewhere, although calls for a royal commission were "completely valid".

"A royal commission obviously, if you look at it from the perspective of trying to solve this entrenched difficult problem, is attractive for the government," Mr Minns said.

"But it does two things: firstly, it costs money, and it takes time.

"And we've made a decision, having worked closely with the domestic violence sector, the stakeholders in the community, that we don't have any time, the money's got to get into the sector straight away, and we'd rather that money go directly to organisations that can roll out programs as soon as possible."

Illawarra Women's Health Centre executive director Sally Stevenson said she was disappointed in the premier's move.

"Money and funding is a political budgeting process and if it was a priority, he would allocate those resources," Ms Stevenson said.

"Lack of time is short-sighted, I believe, because we do indeed need to do urgent measures, but we also need to take a comprehensive and cohesive, strategic and long-term approach to this."

Ms Stevenson said a royal commission would also provide a framework for a whole-of-community response, rather than simply a government response.

Michelle Glasgow, the general manager at Women Illawarra, said holding royal commission and funding actions to combat the problem were not mutually exclusive.

Ms Glasgow said the royal commission in Victoria was critical in increasing a range of measures.

"Royal commissions make recommendations that multiple governments are held accountable for," she said, with new governments still responsible for acting on the steps outlined in a royal commission.

Advocate and former Australian of the Year Rosie Batty also called for a royal commission in NSW after the alleged murder of Forbes woman Molly Ticehurst, telling the Sydney Morning Herald that each state had varying levels of response to the issue so NSW could benefit from such a measure.

A royal commission held in Victoria produced 227 recommendations, all of which the government has since implemented.