Keith Pitt makes plea to save Anzac Memorial Pool

Hinkler MP Keith Pitt has made an eleventh hour plea in Parliament to save Bundaberg’s Anzac Pool, calling on Mayor Jack Dempsey to listen to the community and for Labor MP Tom Smith to ‘do his job’ and halt work on the demolition.

Federal LNP MP Keith Pitt has taken aim at State Labor MP Tom Smith over the Anzac Pool, telling him “to do his job and halt work” on the demolition of the historic pool.

Mr Pitt made the comments during an eleventh hour plea to Federal Parliament on Wednesday afternoon to try to save Bundaberg’s Anzac Memorial Pool from demolition by Bundaberg Regional Council.

Protestors took to the Bundaberg council officers to save the Anzac Pool.

“When you think about the English language, admittedly with an Australian bent, and you think about a single word that can evoke so many others—words like patriotism, loyalty, courage, honour, valour, sacrifice, mateship—that word, and I’m sure everyone in the chamber knows it, is Anzac,” Mr Pitt said at the beginning of his address.

“The Bundaberg Mayor and the council have decided to demolish Anzac Memorial Pool; this is quite simply, a living memorial which next year will celebrate its centenary,” he said.

The parliamentary address came after weeks of campaigning by community group, Friends of the Anzac Pool, who recently received confirmation from the Department of Environment and Science that a heritage listing for the pool would be recommended to the Queensland Heritage Register.

Federal MP Keith Pitt has taken aim at Bundaberg MP Tom Smith, saying he needed to take immediate action to stop the demolition.

The Queensland Heritage Committee will meet in October to decide if the pool should be heritage listed.

More than $75 million has been allocated by council for construction of a new aquatic centre next to the Multiplex, with $19 million also allocated to redevelop Anzac Park.

Mr Pitt said it would cost the council $100 million for both projects, a bill that would be footed by ratepayers.

“At a time here, as we all know, every individual is struggling to pay their bills, and we’ve seen increases in rates and charges,” he said.

“This stinks. It absolutely stinks.”

Mr Pitt called on Mr Dempsey to listen to the people of his community.

“The Bundaberg Mayor and the council are well aware of the angst amongst the community,” he said.

“Surely you would wait until the assessment process is finished, because you can’t put it back together when it is done.

“We have had many olympians train at this pool, some 2000 children a year use this facility,” he said.

“If you can’t get community support then don’t do it.

“The Mayor originally said they would keep Anzac Pool open until they built a new aquatic centre, that simply hasn’t happened.”

Mr Pitt took aim at Mr Smith, saying he needed to take immediate action to stop the demolition.

“The Member for Bundaberg is silent,” Mr Pitt said.

“It is his job.

“He is the state representative, his office is across the road from the memorial pool.

“This is an Anzac memorial and it should be treated with the respect it deserves. Lest We Forget.”

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt has made an eleventh hour plea in parliament to save Anzac Pool to help save Anzac Memorial Pool.

Mr Pitt shared video of his parliamentary address on his Facebook page.

“All they want is due process. Surely that's not too much to ask?” the post read.

Mr Smith previously said he had consulted with community members.

“As is my duty to allow all voices within my community to be represented to Cabinet, I have shared with the Minister for Environment the concerns of those community members as they have requested of me,” he said.

“The Department has provided its recommendation to the Queensland Heritage Register who will assess the application for Anzac Park Memorial Pool.”

Friends of the Anzac Pool presented their petition to save the pool to council CEO Steve Johnston on Wednesday morning.

Campaigner Angela Lathouras said Mr Johnston was respectful about the petition, until they spoke about heritage registry.

“It started off well, but then he got very angry at the mention of the heritage listing,” Ms Lathouras said.

“I [also] asked him to stop speaking over the top of me. He spoke in an aggressive tone and was visibly angry.”

Mr Johnston told the NewsMail he took everything that was presented to him on board.

“On Wednesday morning, along with Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor, I met Ms Lathouras and Ms King who arrived at council to lodge a petition. I accepted the petition they presented on council’s behalf and outlined how it would be dealt with,” Mr Johnston said.

“I did not get angry but did counter a point Ms Lathouras made, which in my opinion which was (sic) misrepresenting the heritage application process,” he said.

“At the end of the conversation I thanked them both for submitting the petition.

“I understand this is an emotive issue for some people in the community but find it disappointing when people choose to unnecessarily personalise the issue.”

Environment Minister Megan Scanlon released a statement, saying it was up to the council to save the pool:

“Ultimately, the decision to demolish the pool and the timing of that decision is a matter for council,” Ms Scanlon said.

“I’ve been advised that any heritage listing will not stop existing finalised development approvals from proceeding.

“While the decision is a matter for council, I’d encourage them to take on board and best reflect community feedback.”

Originally published as Keith Pitt makes plea to save Anzac Memorial Pool