John Saunderson was an Australian politician. Born in Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

, England, he migrated to Australia where he became a senior technical officer for Telecom

Telstra

Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....

. He was State President of the Australian Telecommunications Employees' Association. In 1983, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives

Australian House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....

 as the Labor

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

 member for Deakin

Division of Deakin

The Division of Deakin is anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria. It is named for Alfred Deakin, three times Prime Minister of Australia. The division was created in 1937, initially as a rural seat, but since 1949 it has been located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, today taking in...

, and in 1984 successfully contested the new seat of Aston

Division of Aston

The Division of Aston is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Tilly Aston, a blind writer and teacher who helped found the Library of the Victorian Association of Braille Writers in 1894. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne,...

. He held Aston until his defeat in 1990.