The principal Family Court Judge is calling for a radical re-think in the prevention of and intervention in domestic violence.
Judge Peter Boshier is questioning if the $63 million spent annually on initiatives aimed at stopping violence is money well spent.
He wants a new agency to follow up violent offenders who drop out of their programmes and refer victims and offenders to counselling.
Judge Boshier says this role has historically been given to the Family Court, but is not the court's core business and it is "not that good at it".
Suicides prompt call for better support
Judge Boshier also wants better emotional support for people going through the Family Court.
He says 22 people who had used the court died as a consequence of homicide or suicide between May 2008 and June 2009.
Of these, 18 were suspected suicides and 41% had been involved in domestic violence proceedings, either directly or indirectly.
Judge Boshier says this and other evidence shows there's a link between relationship breakdown and mental health issues, suicide and emotional well being.
"I'm trying to make the point that orders alone don't stop family violence and they don't stop children being deprived of their parents by both homicide and suicide," he says.
Judge Boshier says Australia has a system aimed at improving mental health support for court users and New Zealand should provide something similar.
Need questioned
Brian Gardner is the director of the National Network of Stopping Violence Services, an umbrella group for agencies dealing with violence.
He's questioning the call for a new agency.
