On Thursday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk renewed her call for domestic and family violence leave to be introduced across Australia.

"I believe very firmly that there should be a national push to have domestic and family violence leave recognised," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"It's the right thing to do by families, I believe that employers should embrace this and honestly we need to keep issues surrounding domestic violence on the national agenda."

Ms Palaszczuk called for domestic violence leave to be introduced across the nation on White Ribbon Day in November.

Speaking ahead of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra on Friday, Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland was the first state with legislated domestic and family violence leave arrangements.

The Queensland government passed an industrial relations bill on December 1, which included domestic violence leave for public sector workers.

"I raised the idea of a National Employment Standard for domestic and family violence leave at the COAG National Summit to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children in Brisbane in October," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"I will be pushing this tomorrow at the COAG meeting."

Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Ros McLennan said a roundtable event on Thursday called for the measure to be introduced at a national level.

"Unions will call today and every day for the federal government to extend paid DV leave to all workers - whether they're covered by awards, EBs and the National Employment Standards," Ms McLennan said.

"This leave is for attendance at court appearances, medical or legal appointments, finding other safe accommodation or sorting out kids' school moves or issues.

"It also means that women in this dire situation can keep their jobs - and with it, their financial freedom and support networks away from the perpetrator."

Ms McLennan said the roundtable included frontline workers sharing their stories, with Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Shannon Fentiman and Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace in attendance.

"We're asking the Queensland government to take up the fight at COAG tomorrow," she said.

"The state government has made a determination about extending the support of domestic violence leave to public sector workers and that's awesome, but it's also really important that private sector workers step up and provide it as well.

"And that's why what the federal government does or doesn't do in this space is incredibly important."

Ms McLennan said health professionals, teachers, police and those working in women's refuges were on the frontline of the issue, and were often affected emotionally and physically.

Queensland Police Union vice president Shayne Maxwell said responding to increasing domestic violence issues over Christmas put a strain on police officers.

"This is already a time when resources are stretched in other areas for the holiday period," he said.

Queensland Nurses' Union secretary Beth Mohle said domestic violence presentations tended to increase during the festive season.

"For many, the Christmas period is a time of relaxation with loved ones," Ms Mohle said.

"But for some it's a period of anxiety and fear.

"Emergency department nurses do experience a rise in incidents of domestic violence presentations over the summer holidays."

Greens Queensland Senator Larissa Waters said if the federal government was committed to the issue of domestic violence, they must commit to long-term funding for specialist homeless services.

"We know that domestic violence is one of the key causes of homelessness, and that many women and children are forced to choose between violence and homelessness because emergency shelters are full and long-term affordable accommodation is extremely limited," Ms Waters said.

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