Porsche-driver needs disabled parking space

Maxine McKay hopes publicity will end the abuse she suffers for parking in spaces reserved for disabled people. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Maxine McKay looks perfectly at home in Parnell. She is tanned, blond and drives a deep purple Porsche.

But when she pulls into one of two disability carparks on Parnell Rise, people don't like it.

No wheelchair is in sight and the 50-year-old is regularly abused by passersby, despite having a mobility card. Just this week her car was clamped in Botany Downs.

"Every time I park in a handicapped car park people say, 'You aren't handicapped, look at your legs'. If they don't say something you get the look, like, 'You scumbag'."

What people don't know is that Ms McKay has scleroderma, a rare and unusual form of arthritis, which causes her skin to thicken and harden, leaving her limbs stiff and limiting her movement. It could eventually move to organs such as her lungs and kill her.

"It feels like I have my wetsuit on but it's three sizes too small for me," she said. "My legs are like concrete posts and if you touch me, it's exactly the same as touching a dead person."

The Bucklands Beach woman, who manages rental properties, can only walk short distances without becoming short of breath and finds carrying her shoulder bag into her Parnell office a strain.

The disease, which affects an estimated 500 people in this country (about a fifth have the more severe form Ms McKay suffers from) has also caused her skin to darken.

The daily abuse from members of the public became worse this year after the car enthusiast replaced her Mitsubishi Mirage with the Porsche - "I thought why not? The doctor told me I could have a year to live and I have been here five years. I decided why don't I reward myself and have a nice car." Ms McKay has received numerous parking tickets for allegedly staying longer than 120 minutes in the carpark - something she denies as she uses her car throughout the day.

This week her car was clamped at the Botany Town Centre despite displaying a current mobility card.

Unbeknown to Ms McKay the card had been cancelled by CCS, the disability advocacy group that administers mobility permits.

Yesterday CCS chief executive Viv Maidaborn said the service had received a number of complaints from members of the public that Ms McKay did not appear disabled but a new mobility card had been issued.

Ms McKay hoped the publicity would put an end to her constant parking hassles.

"Leave me alone, I am dying. Don't judge me because I look good. People who are interested in fashion and cars and things get sick too."