The CEO of Eastern Community Legal Centre, Michael Smith, said the Personal Safety Intervention Orders Bill meant urgent complaints would be prioritised at Ringwood Magistrates Court.

"Basically, the old stalking legislation was used by all sorts of different people for all sorts of different needs," he said.

"The new legislation encompasses neighbourhood disputes and it tries to find ways of protecting people when it is really urgent to do so."

The bill adds harassment, assault, sexual assault, repeated property damage, stalking and serious threats to the list of offences that can be used to obtain a restraining order.

The laws will also enable magistrates to direct less serious disputes to mediation, and allow people to give evidence from remote locations.

But Mr Smith cautioned that the laws would only be effective if sufficient resources were allocated to courts and legal services.

The centre, which is based in Boronia but runs an outreach service in the Yarra Ranges, had only one part-time lawyer to represent its clients, he said.

"We need funding for a full-time lawyer. The danger is, without more resources, this good legislation will be wasted."

Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan said the laws would give greater protection against stalking, cyber bullying and schoolyard bullying.

"The expansion of intervention orders sends a clear message that this type of behaviour is not acceptable in our community, and victims of such behaviour have a right to feel safe," he said.