MAGISTRATE Simon Young is only new to the Whitsundays but he has already made his mark on the region.

Mr Young was a guest speaker at today's Domestic and Family Violence Awareness Workplace Response Luncheon - an event he described as an important opportunity to discuss how employers could support employees affected by domestic violence.

"Everyone in the community knows there's (domestic violence) problems in the community but at these gatherings we can talk about details and specifics, about how it impacts people and business owners," he said.

"Business owners need some understanding and some sensitivity to people suffering and how it affects them as employees and how it affects the business."

Mr Young said the workplace could sometimes be one of the last remaining pieces of normality in the lives of anyone suffering from domestic violence.

"It's very easy for an employer to say 'take all the time off you need' but sometimes that isn't the right approach," he said.

"It's a matter of saying 'take the time off if you need it but we're here to support you if you want to be at work' because that gives that sense of normality and support."

Mr Young said domestic violence was never acceptable.

"What the law says and what I say is that it's not ever," he said.

"It was unacceptable all those years ago and it's still unacceptable now."

For 24-hour support in Queensland phone DVConnect on 1800 811 811, MensLine on 1800 600 636 or the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.