One in five NSW public sector workers spending over half their pay on housing, damning report finds

A damning new report has revealed the financial anxiety gripping public sector workers in NSW; One in five people spends more than half of their salary on housing.

The latest Housing Affordability Survey by the Public Service Association (PSA) found that workers are skipping meals, delaying medical treatment and fearing homelessness despite working full-time government jobs.

More than 5,100 members were surveyed and 65 percent met the housing stress threshold; spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent or mortgage repayments.

Four reported being homeless.

A woman known only as Elena moved back to her parents’ home in Newcastle with her partner to save money for their first home.

The move meant he faced a seven-hour commute to Sydney each day, but the sacrifice paid off.

After months of searching, Elena and her partner finally found a house they could afford and bought a place in Lake Macquarie.

People were advising Elena not to buy a house in Sydney, but to move in with her parents to save on rent and avoid personal debt; But being able to afford a home of one’s own also meant not getting married, postponing children, and a seven-hour commute.

Elena said she wasn’t alone, as the 5.55am train was full when it arrived at the Central Coast.

“It’s still an uphill battle, I felt like we did everything people told me we did,” he said.

“Moving to Newcastle I had to come to a situation where I had to accept longer commute times.

“I guess it’s scary, because with that comes the feeling that you have to sacrifice your career.”

The kitchen of the house they could afford needed to be replaced and was leaking, but they couldn’t afford the repairs in order to move.

“People say lower your expectations, don’t try to buy your forever home, those kinds of things, and it’s like we’ve done all that and we’re still against it,” he said.

“I feel like it’s gotten to the point where it’s very unfair for everyone and it’s not even an intergenerational issue anymore, it’s people of different age groups going through similar things.”

PSA General Secretary Stewart Little said the housing crisis was no longer limited to those on low incomes.

“Public sector workers are doing everything society asks of them, they work hard, serve their communities and keep essential services running, but thousands are being pushed to the brink of the financial cliff,” he said.

While a quarter of those surveyed did not feel safe in their homes, 94 people said they were at risk of losing their homes.

The crisis hit older women particularly hard; More than 1,000 women over the age of 45 paid more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs.

Many survey respondents feared they would retire into poverty and be rented for life.

Mr Little said governments could not continue to ignore the impact of the housing crisis on the public sector workforce and the communities they serve.

“These are people we rely on every day,” he said.

“The government must urgently invest in more public and affordable housing and develop housing initiatives for essential workers before this crisis worsens.

“No worker serving the public should have to wonder if they can afford dinner, a doctor’s appointment, or a roof over their head.”