General News
1 May, 2026
Veteran in pool war
A NAVY veteran is battling the city’s Tobruk Memorial Pool operators after loud speakers used to help communicate with a Nepalese hydrotherapy group were shut down.
Margo Dean has refused to return to the pool after the audio system in the Nepalese language was judged to be “music” and “restricted”.
She said the group relied on structured communication to safely use the pool, but the audio was treated as a disruption.
“Despite this, I was treated as though I was a problem within the space,” she said.
“I haven’t been back since. I can’t go back because I feel like I’ve let this team down,” she said.
In correspondence to Cairns Regional Council, Ms Dean said spoken Nepali instruction was “apparently treated as ‘music’ and restricted”, raising concerns about accessibility and consistency.
Ms Dean said her complaint remained unresolved, despite a change in management and assurances from operators.
“I am a veteran. For that reason, this facility holds significance beyond that of a standard public pool,” she said.
Ms Dean said she used bilingual instruction to help participants with limited English and disability-related needs safely participate.
“If they can’t hear, then it’s not safe,” she said.
“It wasn’t music. It was Nepalese … language,” she said.
Belgravia Leisure, the former operator, said it was aware of the complaint but could not comment on the incident.
“Belgravia Leisure have now transitioned out of the venue and any staff involved are now employed with the new operator. We are therefore not in a position to respond on their behalf,” a spokesman said.
The company said it remained committed to inclusion and non-discrimination across its sites.
New operator Marlin Coast Swimming and Fitness said it was not managing the facility at the time of the incident but confirmed hydrotherapy sessions continued.
“There are no unresolved issues between Health Moves and pool management. The relationship is positive, with open communication,” general manager Rachael Hughes said.
However, Ms Dean has rejected that position, saying the core issue has not been addressed.
“The issue raised relates to what occurred, how it was handled and the absence of clear, consistent guidance to prevent a recurrence,” she said.
She said the incident involved “the mischaracterisation of necessary bilingual spoken instruction as ‘music’, which disrupted participants relying on it for safety.
“I am not willing to adopt a ‘wait and see’ position,” she said.
Ms Dean has called for a meeting to establish clear guidelines, improve staff understanding and prevent similar incidents.
“This is a straightforward matter to resolve, but it requires clarity and alignment, not assumption,” she said.
The matter remains ongoing, with calls for clearer policies around accessibility and communication at council-owned facilities.
