The number of women and children unable to get the care they need from frontline family domestic and sexual violence services is unknown to the responsible government department.
When asked by Greens Senator Larissa Waters for figures about people needing help but unable to access it during a Senate estimates committee hearing on Tuesday, Liz Hefren-Webb from the Department of Social Services said they didn't have the data.
She said the department had been working with the states and territories in "trying to build an overall global picture of unmet need".
Senator Waters said the lack of data on people needing support due to family or sexual violence wasn't good enough.
"That just seems totally outrageous that we don't know how many women children and people who are seeking help from frontline DV and sexual health services are being turned away," she said.
"I understand it's a shared responsibility with states and territories, but I'm just incredulous that we've had a national plan for 12 years and we still don't have the answers to that."
In response, Ms Hefren-Webb said she understood the frustration, with the issue having been raised during consultations on the national plan to end violence against women and children.
A record $1.7 billion will be spent over six years to end violence against women and children.
Funding in the budget will create an extra 500 frontline service and community worker roles to support women experiencing domestic and sexual violence, in an effort to clear a backlog of cases and relieve pressure on strained services.
