Australia's first family violence commissioner announced as Micaela Cronin

A record $1.7 billion was spent in the October budget on women's safety initiatives, including funding to implement all of the Respect@Work measures and $27.4 million over five years for the operation of the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission.

It comes a month after 10 days of paid domestic violence leave became law in Australia and just days after the Albanese government unveiled the 10-year National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children.

Ms Cronin, the current Director of RMIT's Workforce Innovation and Development Institute, will start her five-year term on November 1.

"I am deeply committed to addressing and ending violence against women and children in all its forms, and am looking forward to the contribution I will make as Commissioner," the Harvard Business School graduate said in a statement.

"The new National Plan is an ambitious blueprint, but it is a truly national document with collaboration from all jurisdictions and stakeholders. I will take my responsibility for the National Plan's delivery very seriously."

READ MORE

The figures from the ANROWS and Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network report show a woman is murdered by her male partner every 11 days in Australia, a decline since the early 2000s.

In nearly all those cases (94 per cent), the killer used domestic violence abusive behaviours against the victim in the lead-up to her death.

After being announced on April 8, Ms Fitzpatrick never got to start the landmark position as planned in July, but it is understood she was strongly encouraged to apply for the role.

The government said there was an open and competitive recruitment process which ended with Ms Cronin's appointment.

"Ms Cronin brings significant leadership and governance experience from across the non- profit sector, which will be incredibly valuable in her role as Commissioner," Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said in a statement.

Ms Cronin said she has a great deal of experience in trauma informed recovery and is in the early stages of beginning a PhD in trauma informed and compassionate leadership approaches.

Australia is now in a group of just three nations with a dedicated national domestic violence commissioner, joining the UK and Malta.