Shelter Tas executive officer Pattie Chugg says the state's emergency housing services were feeling the pinch.

"There is difficulty finding places for people to move on from crisis service into long-term, affordable and appropriate housing," she said.

"The shortfall in affordable housing is a key issue that needs to be addressed."

According to the Productivity Commission's Report on Government Services, an average of 12.7 people a night made unassisted requests for accommodation in 2013-14.

The figure is slightly higher than the previous year, when the average was 12.2 people a night.

Ms Chugg said homelessness was strongly linked to issues of domestic violence.

"Domestic and family violence is a key cause of homelessness in Tasmania," she said.

"For the people who experience domestic violence, and the services they require, the key need identified is for adequate funding to cope with the immediate crisis - for example, immediate accommodation - and then address long-term housing and support."

Ms Chugg said the federal government's recent defunding of national housing and homelessness groups was counterproductive.

"What really counts are words backed by funding that will improve the housing crisis for those in need," she said.

"Shelter Tas has real concerns about the future of many innovative homelessness service funded under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, which is due to expire in June 2015."

Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma said the state government provided $21 million to 18 specialist homelessness services in the last budget.

"The development of Housing Connect in Tasmania now provides for a one-stop shop for all housing and homelessness needs," she said.

"Specialist homelessness services are a very important part of this new service, which is improving access for clients to emergency accommodation, brokerage and private rental assistance as well as social housing support."

A LAUNCESTON shelter has backed moves to strengthen co-operation between states on domestic violence, saying many people have fled to and from Tasmania to avoid abuse.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will ask state and territory leaders to fast-track a national domestic violence order scheme, and push for family violence orders to apply across jurisdictions.

"We all know that so many families do flee from city to city, from state to state to avoid violence, and if they're fleeing violence, the violence should not be allowed to follow them," he said.

Magnolia Place chief executive Jenny, known only by her first name for safety reasons, said it was a situation seen all too often.

"We do have women access the shelter who have left abusive partners on the mainland, as well as women who need to leave Tasmania and travel interstate to be safe from their violent partner," she said.

"So yes, domestic violence orders should be applicable across jurisdictions, especially to protect women and children whose partners follow or stalk them, wherever they go.

"Domestic violence orders need to include the technology sometimes used by perpetrators via mobile phones and social networking to stalk and threaten victims and their families."

Tasmanian Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said her government was receptive to the Prime Minister's plan.

"We will do everything we can to address domestic violence and we look forward to working with all governments across the country on this vital issue," she said.

Jenny said a national royal commission on domestic violence was not necessarily needed, as the scope of the problem was well understood by people in the sector.