In a startling attack on a senior member of his own Government, the member for Cessnock Kerry Hickey has blasted Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay for an opinion piece she wrote for The Herald on Thursday.

He took exception to her comments: "I categorically reject the assertion the NSW Government's plan to transfer ownership of the Wallsend Aged Care facility is privatisation.

"Privatisatio n is a word easily bandied about and in this instance it misrepresents the Government's intention and the process entered into."

Mr Hickey said the Minister should buy a dictionary.

The Oxford University Press defines privatisation as: transfer (a business, industry, etc.) from public to private ownership.

"At the end of the day we need to remember that it's a community facility it was promised to the community because the hospital was closed," Mr Hickey said.

"And here we are we have the Minister saying we're not privatising it.

"It's time we owned up to what we are doing and cut the spin. Hunter people are not as silly as the Minister. She is as silly as a dung beetle."

Ms McKay declined to comment on Mr Hickey's comments except to say she was looking forward to visiting the Wallsend Aged Care Facility on November 16 and discussing the issues with residents and patients.