A Senate committee inquiry into domestic violence has finalised its report without taking evidence from any witnesses or calling for submissions.
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The upper house's legal and constitutional affairs committee was tasked with a six-month inquiry after the horrific deaths of Brisbane woman Hannah Clarke and her three children in February.
But its final report was delivered on Tuesday, three months ahead of schedule, without accepting submissions, holding public hearings or making any recommendations.
Law Council of Australia president Pauline Wright said it was a sad failure of regard for Australians killed by domestic violence.
"The report amounts to little more than a literature review, posing a number of obvious and often stated questions," she said on Wednesday.
"This demonstrates a lack of commitment by decision-makers to address a serious community problem and a significant cause of death in Australia."
Eleven women have been killed across Australia in domestic violence incidents since coronavirus restrictions were imposed in March.
Crossbench senator Rex Patrick, who initiated the inquiry, issued a dissenting report with one recommendation: the committee take a long hard look at itself.
"The committee failed itself, the Australian public, Hannah Clarke and her three beautiful children, Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey, and all victims of domestic violence, past, present and future," he wrote.
Committee chair Kim Carr accused Senator Patrick of not showing up to meetings and seeking to take political advantage.
The Labor senator said Senator Patrick had referred the issue to the wrong committee.
"It is appropriate that the appropriate level of expertise be applied to this and not some half-baked measure," Senator Carr told the ABC.
Women's Minister Marise Payne said she would look at the report before commenting.
"I do know that Australian senators across the board, no matter where they come from in the parliament, take these issues very, very seriously," she told ABC radio.
Senator Payne said the federal government was focused on working with states and territories to protect women and children during the coronavirus crisis.
Ms Wright said the number of women dying at the hands of current or former partners had not shifted since 2010.
"A valuable opportunity to examine and improve the programs that are working well to support and protect the vulnerable members of society has been lost," she said.
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