Politics & Council
26 November, 2023
Ambulance station demolition: Surge in FoI requests
By CHRIS EARL THE State Government is still to decide whether it will release reports it used to justify demolition of the old Inglewood ambulance station. A surge in Freedom of Information requests has been blamed for the delay. The Loddon Herald...
By CHRIS EARL
THE State Government is still to decide whether it will release reports it used to justify demolition of the old Inglewood ambulance station.
A surge in Freedom of Information requests has been blamed for the delay.
The Loddon Herald asked for the documents when the Government said the 1980s building had asbestos and was unsafe.
However, local tradesmen who worked on the building dismissed the Government’s claim.
Demolition crews moved onto the Hospital Street site early last month not wearing protective clothing and telling protesters there was no asbestos in the building.
The Government later that day admitted the old station was free of cancer-causing fibres.
Department of Health had asked for an extension of the Freedom of Information request deadline to October 15.
It told the Loddon Herald last week: ”We sincerely apologise for the delay in finalising your request.
“The Department of Health has recently experienced a considerable increase in volume of FoI requests, which has impacted on our ability to respond within the legislated timeframe.
“We acknowledge that this is an inconvenience to you and we do apologise. While we cannot provide you with a precise finalisation date at this stage, as we have entered the final stage of processing for this request we don’t anticipate a decision on your request should be delayed much longer,” the department said.
The Government said in September: “The building is being demolished because it is no longer fit-for purpose and would limit the functionality of the new Inglewood ambulance station.”
Retired bricklayer Bert Bradley said: “If they say the building is unsafe, then release the engineer’s reports.”
Community protesters had wanted the old station retained for use by Inglewood and Districts Health Service or local groups.
Crews last week moved onto the cleared site to begin landscaping works, constructing paths and preparing for planting of trees and shrubs.
One pathway has created a pedestrian entrance for staff to the new station.