The secretary of the Victorian Housing Department has told a truth-telling inquiry in Naarm the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and their access to housing is a "crisis".

It comes as the hearings heard secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Secretary, Peta McCammon, admit the department does not know how long some Aboriginal families on the waitlist would have to wait for a home.

Appearing before the Yoorrook Justice Commission on Friday, McCammon, said there was "about a 20 per cent difference" between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal home ownership in Victoria.

"We know that First Peoples are over-represented on our [public housing] wait list and also within community housing," Ms McCammon told the hearing.

Indigenous housing has been a feature of the hearings at Yoorrook this week, and it revealed on Wednesday 1800 children under the age of nine accessed homelessness services in the last financial year.

Commissioner Travis Lovett said the homeless rate was unacceptable.

Describing his own childhood in the Fitzroy housing towers with "no curtains in the house newspapers for curtains," he described the entire situation as "deeply personal, around our people."

"It's not just," Ms McCammon replied.

Commissioner Tony North said First Peoples had been hearing from the government for a long time that things "were not just".

"We know they are not just. You are the people in the driving seat…what are the significant changes you are orchestrating…what can we expect about change?" he said.

"[There are] thousands of Aboriginal people waiting for a home, what can you tell them today…about what they can expect about that waiting list? Is it likely that in a year they'll be housed? Or will it be 20 years…Or will it be never?"

In response, Ms McCammon admitted: "The answer could be all of those, for some people on the waitlist."

"To twenty years," Commissioner North asked?

"At the moment, the wait list is prioritising those at the priority...20 months [is the average wait]" McCammon replied.

Pressed by Commissioner North about Aboriginal families, not considered a "priority," but on the waitlist for a home, how long they would have to wait, McCammon said it was unknown.

"To be honest, I don't think I could tell you."

Homes Victoria is appearing before the @yoorrookjc today.

In a stunning admission, the HV secretary just said that they 'can't tell' us how long some people on the public housing waiting list will have to wait for a home.

It's a waitlist to nowhere.

— Samantha Ratnam (@SamanthaRatnam) June 7, 2024

Commissioner Sue-Anne Hunter lamented the situation, which only led to a vicious cycle.

"To steal a tent because you want to keep your child housed, to steal a car to get away from family violence, you end up inside on remand and have no idea where your child is and you know that when you get out you will still be homeless," Professor Hunter said.

Chair Eleanor Bourke was critical of the bureaucracy involved, saying the Aboriginal names given to policy still resulted in a time frame that was "impossible" to evaluate.

"They don't make sense," Professor Bourke said. "Is there too much bureaucracy?"

"We have been consulted all of our lives. Generations of our people have been consulted to little impact...It's frustrating to have the same conversations and talking about a 20-year framework. Some people don't live that long."

Commissioner North said the one of the most "disturbing" aspects of the conversation, was that the "solution is staring us in the face."

"It's bricks and mortar. Bricks and mortar are the solution to so many of those other problems that radiate out from not having a home," he said.

Asked earlier by Counsel Assisting, Tim Goodwin, what her reaction was to the "astounding disparity" in Aboriginal people accessing specialist homeless services, McCammon replied: "I think it's fair to say it's a crisis."

"There are about the same number of Aboriginal people on the housing wait list than there are in homes in social housing…that's completely unacceptable position, isn't it?" Goodwin asked.

"Yes," Ms McCammon replied.

The hearings continue