Royal Life Saving Australia has received many messages of support from throughout the country and internationally after a group of Aboriginal people attending one of its training courses in Alice Springs were asked to leave the hostel they had booked, allegedly because of the colour of their skin.

The group of 16 women and children from the community of Yuendumu had travelled to Alice Springs to attend a lifesaving course in preparation for a swimming pool being built in their community.

Shortly after arriving at their accommodation however, they were asked to leave, reportedly because other guests claimed to be scared of them.

“Royal Life Saving and the community of Yuendumu are reassured by the overwhelming support expressed by the Australian public,” said Royal Life Saving CEO Rob Bradley.

“Royal Life Saving supports the Yuendumu community and wishes to highlight that they have taken a long and proactive view to building their community’s capacity in preparation for a swimming pool due to be completed in the coming months.

“Royal Life Saving has been consistently impressed by the proactive approach taken by the traditional owners of Yuendumu in identifying and supporting activities that have included leadership programs and skill development in areas such as lifeguarding, swimming instruction and pool operation, all with nothing more than a plot of land identified for future construction.”