Heartened by second pool victory

Paul Dunlop
ALP Bass candidate and Bunyip farmer John Anderson had good reason to rate the State Government’s support for the Pakenham pool renovation as a highlight of his campaign.
When the $333,000 state contribution was announced, Mr Anderson produced a copy of the Pakenham Gazette from 1968 showing the (much younger) candidate on the front page after winning a swimming race at the pool.
Mr Anderson failed to defeat Ken Smith in the battle for Bass but found a silver lining in the decision to reopen the pool.
“It is tremendous that 38 years after winning a swimming race here, I can say that this pool is to be restored,” he said.
“This win is a much bigger one, because it is one the whole community can be part of.”
Mr Anderson also said that the streets surrounding the pool, John and Anderson streets, were actually named in honour of his own grandfather.