Welfare groups say the economy needs more than just a cash injection from the Federal Government if Australia is to survive the worsening global economic crisis.

Representatives from social and community organisations are meeting in Sydney with Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

The president of the Australian Council of Social Service, Lynne Hatfield-Dodds, says the Government needs to look at measures such as increasing the minimum wage to ease the plight of workers.

"But we've also been calling for a serious investment in social services and that's about money, but it's not just about money. It's about looking at the regulatory and compliance and legal environments that we all need to work in as well," she said.

Welfare groups say up to 140,000 Australians are expected to lose their jobs this year as companies slash costs to deal with the financial downturn.

Charities want the Federal Government to make sure banks do not foreclose on the homes of people who are experiencing temporary hardship.

Julia Gillard says no one wants to see families living on the street.

"That's an issue for Government - an issue for the Federal Government, for state governments, but clearly it's also an issue for our banks," she said.

"I think we would be saying to them that thinking about the welfare of Australians in these circumstances is very important."

Ms Gillard also says it is important for the Federal Government to hear firsthand from the welfare sector about how Australians are coping with the global economic downturn.

She says she expects to talk about housing issues and the growing pressure on carers.

"We want to make sure we're talking to these groups because they're the ones who can give us the best of intelligence about what's happening out on the ground, about how Australians are weathering the global financial crisis and what they expect to see for 2009," she said.

"This was the opening of discussions; the Government didn't come here today to make commitments and that was clear.

"We came here today to start a process of discussion about these important issues as the nation works its way through the consequences of the global financial crisis."

Catholic Social Services Australia says it will ask Ms Gillard for more money for under-resourced employment services.

The social service provider will also make suggestions for a special taskforce to encourage the Government to do more to help the unemployed.