Legitimate concern

I FEEL the need to respond to the letter of Ann Laws (News, 1 December) regarding the feeling that the Narre Warren North Community Association has ostracised people with mental health issues.
If the local media had published the “open letter” sent to the Premier, Minister for Mental Health, Chief Psychiatrist for Victoria, Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister and local MPs as requested by the association then our real concerns would have been made public.
Copies were also forwarded to all residents in Memorial Drive and a copy posted on the notice board in Marco’s IGA Supermarket in Narre Warren North.
The open letter states that the community association honestly believes that these centres are vital in providing long term support towards people suffering from mental illnesses.
The location of the proposed facility does not meet the criteria specified by Southern Health insofar that it is not located within close proximity of a hospital, is not located near adequate public transport, is not located within adequate shopping facilities nor is located within adequate community facilities.
The open letter also drew attention to a 2006 VCAT decision to refuse a permit for a child minding centre in Crawley Road, Narre Warren North (less than 30 metres away from the proposed facility) due to concerns regarding transport issues; the proposed facility would directly be opposite the CFA headquarters in Narre Warren North.
Southern Health openly admitted at a meeting held last month that a major factor for them buying the land outside their set criteria was because it was cheap; a meeting at which Southern Health did not want local residents to attend.
Ann Laws insults those local residents who have raised legitimate concerns with the association.
The two pensioners who live two doors down from the proposed facility and the parents of school children whose bus stop will be opposite this proposed facility – these are real people with real concerns who read the press articles in The Age of physical violence, sexual abuse and cover ups in the mental health system.
They are not scaremongering. They are showing deep concerns regarding their families.
If Ann Laws is wanting to see the letter, I will happily forward a copy to her and/or am willing to meet with her to show her the locale of the area and why Narre Warren North is not the right place for this facility.
Anthony Volpi,
President,
Narre Warren North Community Association.