Investigation Launched into Alleged Racial Discrimination at Inverell Public Pool
The Australian Human Rights Commission is set to investigate allegations of racial discrimination against Indigenous families by police officers and staff at a public pool in Inverell, northern NSW. The incident occurred on March 16, 2025, when First Nations families were asked to leave the pool after staff called the police, claiming that some children were not following the rules. The families maintain that they were never given a chance to rectify the situation before being escorted out by the officers, who threatened them with arrest for trespassing.
Solicitor Lucy Schroeder from the National Justice Project emphasized the significance of the Human Rights Commission's acceptance of the complaint, calling for accountability from Belgravia Leisure and NSW Police to prevent similar discriminatory incidents in the future. Thomas Davis, whose family was affected by the incident, expressed his disappointment and highlighted the lasting impact on the children involved, who now feel reluctant to return to the pool even for school activities.
Belgravia Leisure's CEO, Nick Cox, refuted the claims of discrimination in a letter issued shortly after the incident, stating that the individuals asked to leave were engaging in unsafe behavior such as diving in shallow water and disrupting other patrons. Despite the denial, the Human Rights Commission's investigation will shed light on the matter and seek to address the concerns raised by the affected families. The proximity of Inverell to Moree Baths, a historical site of Aboriginal rights activism during the Freedom Rides in the 1960s, adds a poignant context to the current allegations of discrimination.