A NATIONAL approach to domestic violence orders would make it easier for police to protect victims, Wodonga’s top cop says.

Inspector Tony Davis welcomed with interest Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s call yesterday for the states to agree to a national domestic violence order scheme by the year’s end.

Mr Abbott said orders in one state should hold in others.

“We all know that so many families do flee from city to city, from state to state to avoid violence, and if they’re fleeing violence, the violence should not be allowed to follow them,” Mr Abbott said.

Insp Davis said enforcing intervention orders across borders was generally not much of an issue for Wodonga and Albury, but he could see merit in the idea.

“Anything that would expedite the process in relation to the appropriate action against perpetrators, and protection for the victims, would be welcome,” he said.

Albury police were not available to comment.

Mr Abbott said addressing domestic violence would be an urgent priority for the Council Of Australian Governments this year.

The announcement came after the Prime Minister met Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, who received the honour for her advocacy against domestic violence this week.

The government’s action on the “scourge” of domestic violence would not end with her appointment, he said.

Ms Batty believes it will make a difference.

“This announcement is a major step towards bringing about change in how domestic violence is dealt with and in keeping people safe, so I am delighted with the Prime Minister’s commitment to seek national co-ordination and support,” she said.

Ms Batty and retiring Victorian Police Commissioner Ken Lay have been named founding members of a new COAG advisory panel on violence against women.

“It will mean action that will leave our country permanently a better place,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr Abbott said while there was an abundance of goodwill to act on domestic violence, good intentions sometimes “fall foul” of the state and federal bureaucratic tangle.

“I think we’ve got to light a fire under it and that’s why this will be a specific COAG agenda item,” he said.

Mr Abbott also spoke out against the leniency shown to those who breach domestic violence orders, saying it needed to be treated seriously by the police and the courts.