Housing Minister Rose Jackson (pictured fourth from right) committed her government to getting staff out of insecure roles. “People should not be on short-term contracts for two years,” said Ms Jackson. “We don’t want people on temporary contracts. We want them in secure jobs.”

She added the Department was losing too many staff by not giving workers secure, ongoing roles.

The Minister had invited the PSA delegation to her offices in Martin Place to hear members’ concerns about the worsening housing crisis, as well as their own working conditions.

Ms Jackson said the union would be a key player in the roll-out of Homes NSW, which would combine Housing, the Land and Housing Corporation and the Aboriginal Housing Office.

“[Delegates] will be involved in the implementation process,” she said. “We need your initial feedback and views.”

PSA representatives came to the meeting with frontline stories from the state’s housing crisis. Chair of the PSA Housing Departmental Committee, Bernadette McMahon, talked about clients who were employed, yet living in their cars or tents. She said they were locked out of services because their income was derived from employment rather than benefits.

Ms McMahon said there is a stock shortage of housing. She said there are no bigger four-bedroom homes for large families, who were squeezed into small homes.

Housing Departmental Committee Delegate Tina Te Aho-Wilson said emergency housing needs to be increased from two days to a week to allow clients to get back on their feet, as “the first day is spent sleeping.”

The Minister said the PSA visit was valuable and suggested another meeting be scheduled within two months.