The families of murder victims say a new part-time chief victims advisor to the Government does not go far enough and a Commissioner would be more effective.
Justice Minister Amy Adams told parliament last week the job had been initially created as a two-year fixed term
She said the successful candidate would connect with those who had suffered first hand the trauma of violent crime.
Clayton Weatherston was convicted of murdering Sophie Elliot, at her parents' home in 2009.
Her father, Gil Elliot, said despite what people may think, in court the prosecution represented the state, not the family.
He said families then had to live with their loss daily, and he expected more than a part-time advisor role.
"I don't think it can be done part-time. I don't think it can be done as a so-called victims' advisor, I don't think that's the right role.
"I think it ought to be a commissioner and it should be full-time as well.
"There's alot that needs to be done for victims and not alot has been done to date and victims are often in the dark," he said.
Mr Elliot has written a letter to the justice minister, highlighting that in the United Kingdom, a victims commissioner, Baroness Helen Newlove was appointed in 2013.
Leigh Woodman's teenage daughter, Vanessa was murdered in Wellington in 1997.
Her killer, Nicholas Hawker, served 17 years in prison and is now under strict parole conditions in the South Island.
Mrs Woodman has spent years rebuilding her life and is now the national victims advisor for the Sensible Sentencing Trust.
She said the part time chief victims advisor position equated to about 15 hours a week, and the job could not be done effectively in that time.
"Serious violent crime just doesn't have any particular time of the day or night it comes on.
"I work full-time at this days, weekends, nights, whenever we're needed, so if I'm do that in the role I'm doing then surely you need someone full-time," she said.
Jock Jamieson is the husband of Margaret whose parents Josie and John were shot in their Waikato home in 1994 by Gresham Marsh and Leith Rex Ray.
Marsh is due for a parole hearing in August.
Mr Jamieson said a full-time commissioner would be a better choice.
He said more time is invested in defending people accused of serious crimes than supporting the victims' families.
"It's high time we turned the focus in fact we really need a mindset change through the whole judiciary so that the victim's family are at the centre of the situation, not left on the outside," he said.
The Government said the chief victims advisor would provide ministers with a direct line of advice and information.
The role is being funded from $500,000 set aside in Budget 2015. The Government is taking applications for the job until the end of the week.
