Federal and state governments will spend $30 million on a national awareness campaign to stop domestic violence as Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament he will meet with Labor to discuss a bipartisan approach to the issue.

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women Michaelia Cash announced the campaign during an International Women's Day lunch on Wednesday, describing domestic violence - which kills a woman a week - as a "scourge".

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten greets Senator Michaela Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, at the National Press Club on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

She later explained to Fairfax Media that there was a gap in Australians' understanding about domestic violence and that a campaign was needed, similar to those against smoking or drink driving.

She said that violence was a crime, regardless of whether there was a "domestic" or "family" in front of it.