Jill Proudfoot, client services director at national anti-violence organisation Shine, condemned the crime as "utterly tragic", "completely unacceptable" and a "terrible, terrible stain on the community".
"With deaths like this, there is a great outcry, and sadness and horror, for a short time, but then everything just settles back to normal and the outrage doesn't last," Ms Proudfoot said.
"As long as we still accept any form of violence in our society, and there isn't a disapproval of violence countrywide, it will be really, really hard to stop it."
About half of all homicides in New Zealand are related to family violence, and on average 14 women are killed by a member of their family each year.
Around 78 per cent of "partner homicides" in New Zealand involve men killing their current or former partner.
Mary Beresford-Jones of the National Network of Stopping Violence Services said the death was a "terrible tragedy and it is a reminder to all of us to take all violence seriously, to listen to peoples' fears and to act promptly".
She felt it was important that families and communites were supported to speak out and get help - "and not forget these lives and these losses".
Women's Refuge New Zealand chief executive Dr Ang Jury described the death as "absolutely bloody tragic". "We all need to take responsibility for that and as a country we need to mourn with that whanau."
However, Dr Jury said a large amount of work was being done to increase prevention, and there would continue to be ongoing public awareness around domestic violence.
"I don't think the conversation is going to stop."
Schofield, 49, married Ms Drummond in 1988 before the pair split up. Their relationship at the time of Ms Drummond's death is unclear.
Schofield, who co-owns the Elizabeth St property where Ms Drummond was living, served in the New Zealand Army between 1983 and 1993 and is listed as still being a soldier on court records. The couple's adult daughters, Zara and Lana, have changed their Facebook profile photos to pictures with their mother.
Messages of support have poured in for the family, and Zara thanked the many people who had posted messages of love and condolences on her Facebook page.
Family members contacted by the Herald declined to comment.
Ms Drummond's workmates at Taupo's Millennium Hotel and Resort also posted a message thanking people for their phone calls, emails, text messages and flowers. "We are all very shocked, saddened and upset with the news of our friend, colleague, mates untimely passing," a message on the hotel's Facebook page stated.
Counting the cost
• 14 women are killed on average each year by a member of their family.
• 84% of those arrested for family violence are men.
• 78% of "partner homicides" in New Zealand are men killing their current or former female partner.
Watch June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva Steenkamp, talk about domestic violence during her visit to New Zealand
