The Australian Human Rights Commission has accepted a racial discrimination complaint against NSW Police after First Nations children were removed from the Inverell Aquatic Centre last year.
On 16 March 2025, several First Nations families — including children, parents, carers and an Elder — were ordered to leave the public pool after staff called police, alleging some children were 'not complying with the rules'.
The families were not asked to leave by staff at any point before police were called. When officers arrived, they warned the families they could be arrested for trespass if they did not leave and then escorted them from the premises.
Last month, Thomas Davis, whose family was affected by the removal, said he arrived at the pool to find "the three burly police officers humiliating a group made up of two elderly Aboriginal women and a bunch of small children by lining them up and unceremoniously walking them out of the front door of the pool".
"This was in full view of everyone else who was there. The group were being at all times respectful and complying with the police, even though as they told me later, they had done nothing wrong," he said.
On Friday, the National Justice Project, which is representing the family, said the Human Rights Commission had accepted a racial discrimination complaint against NSW Police and Belgravia Leisure. The families allege the actions of pool staff and NSW Police breached the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.
"The acceptance of this complaint by the Human Rights Commission is an important step toward accountability for the families and the harm the NSW Police have caused," Lucy Schroeder, a solicitor at the National Justice Project, said.
Ms Schroeder said the events at the Inverell pool had resulted in lasting impacts on the children, as well as the family and wider community.
"We're calling on Belgravia Leisure and NSW Police to make this right, not only for the families directly affected, but to help make sure no other First Nations family is subjected to this kind of discrimination again," she said. "This must lead to real accountability, meaningful change and safer public spaces for everyone."
The reported incident occurred several towns from the Moree Baths and Swimming Centre, the site of the historic protests against segregation during Australia's Freedom Rides, led by Charles Perkins.
The families have previously said their children are now too afraid to return to the pool and no longer feel safe or welcome in Inverell. Instead, they now travel 40 to 50 kilometres to access another public swimming pool.
"The children affected by this have not wanted to return to the pool even for school sport which is once a week and also not wanting to go when asked by friends if they would like to attend on weekends and after school either," Mr Davis said.
"I'm in a position to speak up and show these kids and all Aboriginal kids that this sort of stuff isn't right and that they can also take a stand and call it out just like my elders showed me."
Another family member affected by the incident, who has asked to remain anonymous, said what happened that day has had "a lasting impact" on the entire family.
"What should have been a normal day at the pool left our children frightened and confused, and the adults feeling humiliated and unheard," they said.
"This experience has affected all of us, and it's something our family will carry for a long time. We are speaking out because no family should ever have to go through something like this, and we want to see real accountability and meaningful change so it never happens again."
Additional reporting by Giovanni Torre
