Arabic version: تحقيق قضائي يبحث سلامة المسابح في الإقليم الشمالي بعد غرق طفل صغير

According to ABC News, a coronial inquest into the 2025 drowning death of three-year-old Dion Robbins has begun in the Darwin Local Court, examining the circumstances of his death and the adequacy of Northern Territory pool safety laws.

The court heard Dion was found floating face down in the backyard pool at his family’s Moulden home in Palmerston in June 2025, one month before his fourth birthday. His family had rented the property for less than two months. Counsel assisting the coroner Fiona Kepert said Dion’s father awoke from an afternoon nap to find Dion missing and later found him in the pool. Dion’s younger brother was inside the pool enclosure.

Ms Kepert said a stool was tipped over near the closed and latched pool gate. Dion’s mother wants to understand how the boys left the house, entered the pool area and how Dion ended up in the water. The court heard Dion was an adventurous, active child who loved climbing.

Royal Life Saving NT chief executive Floss Roberts told the inquest that water safety remained a major issue despite improved Northern Territory drowning statistics. The court heard that, since 2002, 597 Australian children aged four and under had drowned, with just over half of those deaths occurring in swimming pools. In the NT, more than 240 children have attended emergency departments after fatal and non-fatal drownings since 2010, including more than 180 incidents in private pools.

Ms Roberts called for changes including removing the exemption that allows properties larger than 1.8 hectares to have unfenced pools or spas, more stringent pool compliance certificates, regular inspections and mandatory water-safety education for pool owners. The inquest continues tomorrow and is expected to hear evidence about the pool fence and gate, as well as safety compliance rules.