A new state and federal government plan to tackle violence against women concedes rates will "remain static" in the short and medium term, but will begin to drop as traditional gender roles are less rigidly enforced.

The Council of Australian Governments approved an updated national plan to address violence against women on Friday, making primary prevention - stopping violence before it occurs - a top priority.

Minister for Women Marise Payne says more work is needed to reduce the rates of violence against women. Credit:Alex ellinghausen

"Responsibility for the prevention of violence against women must move from being the focus of a small but dedicated specialist sector, to become a core priority for all industries and areas of government," the plan says.

The plan - the fourth in a series of "action plans" that sit under a national scheme to reduce violence against women - says many women still experience violence every day in Australia. It says police are called to domestic and family violence matters every two minutes, while 12 women are hospitalised every day due to domestic and family violence. Every nine days, a woman is killed by a current or former partner.