THE sister of a man with intellectual disabilities who faces losing his home has leapt to the defence of Fremantle state Labor MP Simone McGurk.

WA mental health minister Helen Morton criticised Ms McGurk in a letter in the Herald last week, claiming she should “provide better support for her constituents without unnecessarily instilling fear and angst in families”.

Ms Morton’s letter was in response to the Herald’s front page story the week before about Shane Norton, 52, who faces eviction from Stratton House, a disabled care home, in Hamilton Hill, because of privatisation.

‘The member of Fremantle was doing her duty to listen to our concerns and she was not causing angst and fear—we already had that’

Gail Russell, Mr Norton’s sister, says Ms McGurk did not “instill fear”.

“The member of Fremantle is the only person who has taken the time to listen and see for herself how distressed both my sister and I are over these changes,” Ms Russell told Ms Morton by letter this week.

“In listening to our story—the same one we told to you, Dr Ron Chalmers, Wendy Cox, Premier Colin Barnett and the area managers Peter and Karen, and not just once we’ve told this story several times—none of you are listening and it was heartening when the member for Fremantle did.

“The member of Fremantle was doing her duty to listen to our concerns and she was not causing angst and fear—we already had that.

Ms Russell says the family still has not received a straight answer from the WA mental health department about what is to happen to Mr Norton.

“I rang the department and I was angry as well as distraught,” Ms Russell said.

“We asked why we hadn’t been informed and was told we were written to but our letters must have gone astray. My sister and I have different surnames and different post boxes and letters to postboxes don’t go astray.”

Ms Russell says new carers in a privatised facility would be strangers to her brother, who has had the same carer for 13 years.

“Shane is not only disabled, disadvantaged and vulnerable he is Down Syndrome, he has limited speech and communication skills,” she said.

“The government have for the past 30 years given him as close to normal life. He will never be normal and what he has now is the best.

“He needs to stay in his home with his housemates and his experienced carers who know and care for him and he trusts them and we also trust them to care for him.”

by BRENDAN FOSTER