Source : Perth Now news
Claims police officers and a public pool’s staff racially discriminated against Indigenous families will be investigated by the nation’s top human rights agency.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has accepted a complaint against NSW Police and Belgravia Leisure following an incident at the Inverell public pool in northern NSW.
First Nations families enjoying the pool were ordered to leave on March 16, 2025, after staff called police, alleging some children were disobeying the rules.
The families say they were never asked to leave the pool before police arrived.
Officers told the families they could be arrested for trespassing if they did not leave before escorting them out, the complaint alleges.
The families and the National Justice Project say the actions of staff and police breached the Racial Discrimination Act.
“The acceptance of this complaint by the Human Rights Commission is an important step toward accountability for the families,” solicitor Lucy Schroeder said.
“We’re calling on Belgravia Leisure and NSW Police to make this right … to help make sure no other First Nations family is subjected to this kind of discrimination again.”
Thomas Davis’ family was affected by the removal and says the incident stirred up memories of harassment of Aboriginal people for generations.
“It saddens me that things like this are still happening to our babies not just in this community but all over Australia,” he said.
“The children affected by this have not wanted to return to the pool even for school sport.”
Belgravia Leisure was contacted for comment on Friday, but chief executive Nick Cox had previously addressed the claims in a letter five days after the incident.
“We strongly refute claims that all Aboriginal patrons were asked to leave,” he wrote.
“The individuals asked to leave were engaging in dangerous behaviour … such as bombing, back-flipping in shallow water and running into others.”
NSW Police declined to comment.
Inverell is about 150km from Moree Baths, where protests against segregation during the 1960s Freedom Rides were a touchstone for Aboriginal rights in Australia.
