First Nations families have spoken out about the harm caused after their children were thrown out from the Inverell Aquatic Centre by NSW Police.
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 weren’t 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 didn’t leave and then escorted them from the pool.
Represented by the National Justice Project, the families have lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission, stating the actions of pool staff and NSW Police breached the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.
They say their children are now too scared to go back to the pool and don’t feel safe or welcome in Inverell. Instead, they now travel 40–50 kilometres to go to another public swimming pool.
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 group of small children by lining them up and walking them out of the front door of the pool. He said:
“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.
“It saddens me that things like this are still happening to our babies not just in this community but all over Australia. See it too much these days and nothing gets done about it. I personally went through it myself as a child, so did my Mum, Grandmother and other generations and they have all worked so hard to try and pave the way for future generations to not have to experience, and we sadly still are.
“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. 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 affected by the incident, who has asked to remain anonymous, said:
“What happened that day has had a lasting impact on our 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. 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.”
The incident occurred just a few towns away from the Moree Baths and Swimming Centre, which was the focus of protests against segregation during the Freedom Rides in Australia led by Charles Perkins.
Lucy Schroeder, Solicitor at the National Justice Project added: “More than 60 years after the Freedom Ride exposed segregation in northern NSW pools, Aboriginal families are still being excluded and humiliated in public spaces. On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we are standing with our clients and demanding urgent accountability. This cannot happen again.”
Racism against First Nations peoples can be reported to Call It Out, the First Nations Racism Register operated by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research with support from the National Justice Project.
