A senior NSW police officer has rejected claims that "racism is rife" within the force during a parliamentary inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and children.

The inquiry has held hearings around the country, hearing from the families of those murdered and disappeared, as well government and police agencies.

When the inquiry was announced last year, independent Senator and DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman Lidia Thorpe said there was a gap between how Australians view violence against Indigenous women and children compared to non-Indigenous women and children.

"When a white woman dies, or a white woman is murdered, it's a front page [article]. There's rallies," she told the Guardian.

"When a Black woman dies, when a black woman is murdered, you don't hear about it."

The NSW police recently gave evidence at the Senate inquiry in regards to their response towards missing and murdered women and children in First Nations communities.

Supt Christopher Nicholson gave evidence on the "deplorable treatment" of the families involved in the Bowraville murders.

Evelyn Greenup, Clinton Speedy-Duroux and Colleen Walker-Craig, all of whom were Indigenous, were murdered in the 1990s. No one has been convicted of their deaths.

Supt Nicholson said the NSW police has "completely overhauled" their community engagement and missing persons standard operating procedures.

"The experiences and the lessons learned in the police force about Bowraville actually feature in the cultural awareness training, at all levels," Nicholson said in response to inquiries NSW Senator David Shoebridge asking if there had been any changes in response to recommendations made by a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the case in 2013.

One senator who quizzed Supt Nicholson on the complaints-handling process for officers noted that systemic racism was "rife" in her experiences as a former WA police officer.

Supt Nicholson said that "whether or not they're an Aboriginal person," all complaints were handled the same.

"…our leadership, from the Commissioner down, expects all police will act with respect to all people whether in custody or whether victims," he said.

"That kind of behaviour is not condoned any more … We encourage all police to speak up against that behaviour, and when they do, we've got strong robust governance that makes sure we investigate it appropriately."

Supt Nicholson said that whilst racism was prevalent in society, he rejected the notion it was rife in the NSW police force.

"I would refute that currently in the New South Wales police force racism is rife...that behaviour is absolutely not tolerated," he told the committee.

The inquiry also heard from the Aboriginal Women's Advisory Network CEO, Goreng Goreng woman Dixie Link-Gordon. She stated there was a lack of public outcry and concern concerning the level of violence that targeted First Nations women.

"We've got to value the lives lost," Ms Link-Gordon said.

"We have the right to be safe in our homes … It's a basic human right and children have the right not to have their mothers beaten to death in their home."

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 11 times more likely to die because of assault, and 32 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than non-Indigenous women.

In a submission to the inquiry in December, the Aboriginal Legal Service of NSW/ACT stated that Indigenous women and children in communities have limited resources available to them.

"In many Aboriginal communities, women and children who experience family and domestic violence have a lack of meaningful choice in asking for help in times of crisis. To put it simply, Aboriginal women and children are less likely to receive effective support from police—even during times of crisis."