Evidence to support a 10-year domestic violence plan has been revealed after an extensive Morrison government delay. 

Hundreds of experts, advocates and specialists contributed to a consultation report that was supposed to guide the creation of a new, 10-year national plan to tackle domestic, family and sexual violence. However, the former federal government led by Scott Morrison buried the report. 

It refused to make the consultation report publicly available, despite it being finalised by researchers at Monash University and passed to the government in January.

The report has now been released ahead of a meeting of federal, state and territory women's safety ministers in coming weeks, where the Commonwealth hopes to finalise the 10-year national strategy. 

It is part of a process to replace an outdated plan launched by the Gillard government.

The report outlines the need for the plan to address violence experienced by often-marginalised groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, LGBTQIA+ communities, people with a disability, women living in rural areas, and migrant and refugee women.

Stakeholders called for greater emphasis on violence faced by children, who should be recognised as victims “in their own right”. They also warning that sexual violence committed outside the context of a family or intimate relationship should “not fall off the agenda”.

Housing must be at the forefront of the new plan, the experts say, with “significant investment” needed in social housing for people fleeing violence, including long-term housing options.

Chief investigator Kate Fitz-Gibbon has welcomed the release of the “vital piece of evidence”.

“I am thrilled that Minister Rishworth has released the Stakeholder Consultation Report,” Professor Fitz-Gibbon said.

“Family, domestic and sexual violence is a national crisis.

“This report presents the breadth of commitment needed across the prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery space for Australian governments to truly lead a transformational shift in our progress towards ending domestic, family and sexual violence.”

The Morrison government’s draft strategy for domestic and family violence was released earlier this year, but contained no specific, measurable targets or accountability mechanisms.

Professor Fitz-Gibbon said she hopes Labor will revise these “gaps”.

“There are some clear areas where the new government could really show their commitment in this space,” she said.

“Stakeholders repetitively told us that, over the term of the next national plan, we need to develop a range of different targets or measures that show us whether what we're doing is making a difference,” she said.

The full report is accessible here.