Resources for domestic violence services are already tight, but a new inquiry announced last week by the Morrison Government could add more paperwork to the cash-strapped sector.

Key points: Two leaders in the field of family and domestic violence services say engaging with the review could cost frontline services

Two leaders in the field of family and domestic violence services say engaging with the review could cost frontline services Recent reviews have covered similar ground, but many recommendations remain unimplemented

Recent reviews have covered similar ground, but many recommendations remain unimplemented 40 per cent of calls to one major women's legal service are already going unanswered

Support agencies will be forced to take resources away from frontline services if they want to participate in the controversial inquiry, according to Karen Willis, Executive Officer of Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia.

"We're going to have to reduce resources to services to women, and that's going to weigh heavily on all of us," she told The World Today.

"But if we don't participate and attempt to influence this inquiry, and we end up with some really poor recommendations, then that's going to affect service provision and women's lives, and kids' lives and safety, for the next 10, 20 years."

Ms Willis said there's already too much demand for their services, without the added burden of responding to another inquiry into family law.

"Last year we turned away over 3,000 people who are seeking our assistance because we didn't have the staff to offer what they were needing," she said.

She said it was infuriating that yet another inquiry into family law would mean the organisation would have to cut frontline services.

Recent reviews not fully implemented

There have been two recent reports covering similar terrain to the new inquiry, which was announced last week by the Prime Minister.

In December 2017, a House of Representatives committee published its report into domestic violence and family law, and most of the 33 recommendations have not been acted on.

Six months ago, the Australian Law Reform Commission tabled its long-awaited Family Law Inquiry. None of the 60 recommendations have so far been implemented.

"If I have to pull further people off that frontline work to again do another report into another inquiry, I really want to know that we're going to get some outcomes from that," said Ms Willis.

Karen Willis says frontline services could be affected by the the demands of engaging with the family law inquiry. ( Image: Supplied )

The new inquiry will be led by Liberal backbencher Kevin Andrews and One Nation's Pauline Hanson.

The strain to participate would affect services, according to Angela Lynch, CEO of the Women's Legal Service in Queensland.

"We will do what we can to allocate resources to this but of course this does mean, and will mean to some extent, taking away resources from frontline service provision," she said.

She stressed this was a sector already struggling with resources.

"We can't answer 40 per cent of our domestic violence statewide helpline. That equates to 6,600 women that can't get through," she said.

"So the determination of how we use our resources is absolutely at the forefront of my thinking as the CEO."

Ms Lynch said while the Prime Minister wants so-called "ordinary Australians" to participate, many victims of domestic violence won't want to engage.

She said comments by committee co-chair Pauline Hanson, alleging women lie in family court to try to win custody of their children, has compromised the inquiry before it's even begun.

"We do have victims of violence who have been through the system, who do want to help other women and do want to participate in these kinds of enquiries," she said.

"But certainly, it is questionable if they will do that if they feel the inquiry isn't fair and there are already people on there that have pre-judged their position."