Rosie Batty has forged a new understanding of family violence and she is rightly 2015 Australian of the Year, says Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

The Victorian mum channelled her grief into advocacy, following the murder of her 11-year-old son Luke by her former partner in early 2014.

'Rosie Batty is the face of dignity and courage in this country,' Mr Andrews said in a statement.

'She changed the way Australians comprehend family violence.

'That her experience was common, not unique, is perhaps the greatest tragedy of all.'

Mr Andrews said too many women and children were victims of the 'silent crime' of domestic violence, and Ms Batty was speaking up on their behalf.

'To have listened to her, and learnt from her, remains one of the greatest privileges of my professional life,' he said.

'I congratulate Rosie on this achievement. I hope this recognition can make her cause ever so louder and ever more urgent.'

The Victorian government has called a royal commission into family violence to get underway later this year.

Ms Batty said she would use the Australian of the Year title to continue the call for generational change.

'Everyone needs to recognise that as a parent you bring up little children into this world, and as a parent you influence how they become as adults,' she told AAP.

'We can seek to be better people or we can give in to the worst of ourselves.'

AAP