Nationals MP slams demolition of old Inglewood ambulance station

A community campaign had pushed for the building, which was largely paid for by local fundraising efforts, to be converted for public use, including possibly by the Inglewood and Districts Health Service.

But according to the state government, it was riddled with asbestos, expensive to maintain and presented risks to paramedics at the new multimillion dollar ambulance station which has now opened next door.

Nationals Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad on Monday slammed the government for "charging ahead" with the "incredible" demolition, which had been done with little consultation.

"It's clear that this government does not care what people in regional Victoria think and feel," she said.

The MP said she had exhausted every avenue available to her to try to get the government to retain the building, from tabling two petitions signed by hundreds of community members in parliament to contacting the minister's office to suggest a meeting of stakeholders and appealing to local member Martha Haylett.

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"I find it amazing that this government is knocking down buildings at a time when building contractors and materials are in such short supply," she said.

"The sheer wastage that has come with this demolition is mind-boggling."

Ms Broad had been told there was furniture still inside the former ambulance station when the demolition started and said that it this could have been sold in the op-shop which helped raised funds to build and fit out the building back in the 1980s.

Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas has told the media the government had been forced to make a "hard decision" about the facility and that the community was aware of the plan.

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