People who fail to report suspected domestic violence by their neighbours, friends or family could be prosecuted under changes advocated by Labor senator Nova Peris.

On Tuesday, Senator Peris, the first indigenous woman to be elected to Federal Parliament, called for all states and territories to emulate Northern Territory laws that make it a crime for any adult to fail to report domestic violence to police.

The NT laws, introduced by the former Labor government in 2009, require all adults to notify police if another person has caused or is likely to cause harm to a person with whom they have a domestic relationship. They require all adults to report to police if the life or safety of a person is under threat because domestic violence has been, is being or is about to be committed.

''We need every Australian to speak up whenever they suspect domestic violence may be occurring,'' Senator Peris said in a speech to family violence prevention workers in Canberra. ''Even if it potentially involves dobbing in a mate. And even if it could potentially lead to retribution.''

In NSW, some professionals such as doctors and teachers are obliged to report domestic violence when such violence places a child or young person at risk of serious physical or psychological harm.

A 2010 Australian Law Reform Commission report on family violence laws expressed concern that the NT laws could isolate victims of domestic violence by deterring them from seeking assistance and might disempower victims by taking from them some of the tools with which they might escape from violence. The report says it may be unreasonable to criminalise a person's failure to report violence committed by his or her father, mother, sibling or adult child.