Homes NSW Departmental Committee meeting update
5 May 2026
Departmental Committee (DC) delegates are the peak representatives for all É«ÀÇÉçÇømembers across Homes NSW. They meet quarterly to discuss workplace matters that affect all members across Homes NSW.
Members are encouraged to engage with the É«ÀÇÉçÇøstructure because members are the strength of the union and its supreme governing body. The more you know about how your union works, the more powerful your voice in the workplace can be.
A few key discussions at the last meeting included:
Work Health and Safety industrial update
É«ÀÇÉçÇøWork Health and Safety (WHS) Industrial Officer Marko Petrovic spoke to the Homes NSW DC about the latest WHS changes, which include increased powers to lodge and return-to-work disputes (such as if injured workers are not provided with suitable duties). SafeWork NSW is now a , which has bolstered its powers.
From 1 July the department has to comply with codes of practice. That includes the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice.
These changes are important and members are encouraged to read and engage with their workplace’s Psychosocial Action Plan. It will provide important agreed on actions about how to manage psychosocial hazards such as role overload, workplace bullying, work-related violence and burnout. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwould expect the Psychosocial Action Plan to comply with .
The DC also discussed the vital role of health and safety representatives (HSRs) in the workplace, to make sure WHS issues are acted on and resolved. If your office doesn’t have an HSR, you can ask management for one to be elected. provides important information on how to make sure your workplace has worker representation and participation in WHS matters.
Anyone interested in the role can learn more about it on the . Once elected, HSRs receive five days training. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøis now registered to provide the initial five-day training, plus refresher training every year.
Safety Suite
Members are encouraged to report incidents through Safety Suite. The Homes NSW DC discussed obstacles that deter workers from reporting incidents. These included fear of retribution and losing faith in the process because management either discourages workers to make a report in the first place or reports are closed with no outcomes communicated.
Members are advised to please support the use of Safety Suite in the workplace. These reports support your union to provide the assistance needed to make sure your rights are upheld. If there are issues, reach out to delegates and let them know. If Safety Suites are closed with no outcome, raise another one. Members are reminded they can also put in a Safety Suite for an incident they witnessed even if it didn’t affect them directly.
Assistant General Secretary’s update
É«ÀÇÉçÇøAssistant General Secretary Troy Wright provided an update on a few of the major projects the É«ÀÇÉçÇøis working on. These included:
- Housing policy A major policy piece for NSW state election based on member feedback to the recent Housing Survey (more below).
- Occupational violence campaign AÂ member-wide campaign to address the increasing violence frontline members face (Homes NSW DC delegates confirmed the daily onslaught of abuse towards frontline members and the often unhelpful response from management where members are made to feel they are at fault if they have difficult clients).
- Response to AI The É«ÀÇÉçÇøunderstands that AI is here and wants to see it rolled out properly because the É«ÀÇÉçÇøhas been hearing of departments using AI unchecked; AI will be an agenda item at Joint Consultative Committee meetings and members can raise questions and concerns they’d like raised about AI (or deskilling as a result of AI) directly with delegates or at member meetings – the so let’s make sure they deliver.
- Work value case The É«ÀÇÉçÇøis working on its next pay deal for its members with a work value case underway across a number of industries to demonstrate there should be an adjustment in wages to better reflect the work performed. In the meantime, the É«ÀÇÉçÇøis meeting with the government to confirm members are on track to receive an extra $1000 payment in their pay packet next financial year as part of the non-cumulative cost-of-living allowance (COLA). Watch out for updates.
Housing survey
É«ÀÇÉçÇøPrincipal Policy Analyst Anna Patty spoke to the Homes NSW DC about the Housing Survey that the É«ÀÇÉçÇørecently ran. More than 5000 members responded to the survey, which is an outstanding result that provides critical data to support the É«ÀÇÉçÇødevelop a robust policy and political strategy. The policy will be presented at Annual Conference in May.
If any Homes NSW members are happy to share their housing story as a case study, please contact É«ÀÇÉçÇøOrganiser Rachel Eldred ().
The next Homes NSW DC is on Thursday 11 June 2026.
Your Homes NSW DC works hard to make sure Homes NSW has strong union representation that supports and stands up for your rights in the workplace. Members are welcome and encouraged to raise any issues or concerns with their elected representatives and to reach out if they have any questions.
Homes NSW delegates and members are stronger together.
Contacts
Bernadette McMahon Chair
Regional Northern District
Theresa Khoury Vice-chair
Sydney Metropolitan Western District
Mark McFadden Secretary
Regional Northern District
Beti Cizaloska Assistant Secretary
Regional Southern & Western District
Mary-Ann McPherson Women’s Contact Officer
Regional Southern & Western District
John Grusovin Delegate
Sydney Metropolitan District
Tina Te Aho-Wilson Delegate
Sydney Metropolitan Inner West & South East District
Kadije Arja Delegate
Sydney Metropolitan South West District
Dee Gibson Delegate
Sydney Metropolitan Western District
Nicole Meade Delegate
Regional Northern District
Belinda Twomey Delegate
Regional Northern District
Damien Morgan Delegate
Regional Southern & Western District
Sumeet Sharma Delegate
Housing Response Centre / Housing Maintenance Centre
Matthew Cooper Delegate
Aboriginal Housing Office