The lawn of Parliament House was adorned in white dresses on Monday morning as Newcastle welfare workers called for greater action on domestic violence.
More than 50 people travelled from Newcastle to Canberra to display 150 dresses, signifying murdered women in the past five years.
Several Labor members spoke including Shadow minister for women Tanya Plibersek, and local MPs Sharon Claydon, Joel Fitzgibbon and Meryl Swanson.
One person each from Lake Macquarie Domestic Violence Committee, Warlga Ngurra Refuge for Women and Children, Nova for Women and Children, Hunter Women's Centre, Got Your Back Sista, and the University of Newcastle's Gender Research Network then presented the dresses to the federal government.
The contingent called for a "dramatic increase" in domestic violence funding, more action on housing and JobSeeker to be raised.
Got Your Back Sista founder Melissa Histon said it was a "very powerful morning".
"It was so heartening, we had representatives from 10 different domestic violence women's organisations who came down," she said.
We need change in the community. The government needs to lead the change
Melissa Histon
"We hear stories every day from women who are living with the horrific trauma of the domestic violence they've experienced.
"More and more women every year are being murdered by violence. More women are becoming homeless because of domestic violence.
"The 150 dresses with Parliament House in the background was very visual, very sad but it sent a strong message.
"We need change in the community. The government needs to lead the change."
Newcastle woman Lauren Graham did not attend, but played an important part in the day. She coordinated the making of one of the dresses that was put on display.
While facilitating a women's group in 2018, Ms Graham helped create a dress to honour Katie Haley - a Melbourne mother who was beaten to death by her partner earlier that year.
Ms Graham said while she didn't know Katie, the group tried to find out about what kind of person she was and honour that in the design.
She said it was quite moving to know the dress was part of Monday's event.
"I sent a message to the girls in the group about it," she said. "One person said it felt like at the time we were giving Katie her last voice and now to hear how her dress was being laid out on the lawn felt like her voice lives on even though her life and body have been taken."
