Stop using our RSL brand to ‘khaki wash’ your pokie cash says veterans chief

An Anzac Day civil war has broken out with RSL NSW accusing licensed RSL clubs of slashing funding for returned Diggers and calling for clubs to stop using the RSL brand.

An Anzac Day civil war has broken out with veteran support organisation RSL NSW accusing licensed RSL clubs of slashing funding for returned Diggers and calling for clubs to stop using the RSL brand.

The licensed RSL clubs have hit back, saying they give millions of dollars to other veteran charities.

RSL, Diggers and Memorial clubs made almost $1 billion in profit last year but passed on just $326,000 through the official ClubGrants website to veteran welfare programs run by the real RSL.

RSL NSW President and former commando Mick Bainbridge said funding had been cut by more than three quarters after he first called for clubs to stop “khaki washing” pokie profits by using the RSL brand last year.

“Imagine what we could do if we received a fair share of that grant funding from those clubs that are trading very well on our brand,” Mr Bainbridge said.

NSW RSL President Mick Bainbridge said funding had been cut by more than three quarters after he first called for clubs to stop “khaki washing” pokie profits by using the RSL brand last year. Picture: Thomas Lisson

In 2024 donations from RSL branded clubs dropped by more than 75 per cent from the $1.4 million donated the year before.

“I don’t know if they have cut funding in response to my criticism but they are either tone deaf or not accepting the issues we have here,” Mr Bainbridge said.

RSL NSW, the not for profit veteran support organisation Returned and Services League of Australia, split from licensed clubs in the 1970s when liquor laws were reformed.

Former veterans affairs minister David Elliott, who put RSL NSW through a judicial inquiry into its funding, said many RSL sub branches continued to work well with licensed clubs and were well funded.

“The clubs are giving their money to groups like Soldier On who stepped in to support veterans when RSL NSW failed,” he said.

“The only person who wants to end the association with clubs is Mr Bainbridge. What happens to the memorabilia and the nightly ode? Who will pay for Anzac Day services?

“One minute he is calling for more money from clubs and the next he wants to cut ties altogether,” Mr Elliott said.

RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge at the Cenotaph memorial in Martin place ahead of Anzac Day this Friday. Picture Thomas Lisson

Mr Elliott, a veteran, is on the board of Castle Hill RSL club and an active member of the RSL sub branch. He said the majority of club directors have to be veterans to ensure “the people handing out the grants our veterans themselves”.

A breakdown of the $326,000 in donations listed under the ClubGrants scheme showed that not all of the money classified as veteran support services actually went to RSL sub branches and veteran support.

Donations included $32,000 from Penrith RSL to the clubs’ own advocacy group the RSL and Services Clubs Association and $50,000 from Chester Hill RSL Club to the Lismore City Bowling Club.

Chester Hill RSL club chief executive David Love said the donation had been incorrectly categorised but that almost $500,000 had been given to local veteran charities not listed with RSL NSW.

“We have two veterans on our board and see supporting veterans as one of our core objectives,” he said. “But not everything we give gets listed on the ClubGrants site.”

The NSW government is conducting a review into the effectiveness of the ClubGrants scheme. A spokesman for Racing and Gaming Minister David Harris said a number of submissions had been received including from RSL NSW and a response would follow “in due course”.

Veterans Ginger and Rusty Carr at the Soldiers Memorial Hall in Yass. Picture: Martin Ollman

Veteran Casey “Ginger” Carr and her partner Matthew “Rusty” Carr have become RSL NSW Wellbeing Support Officers after struggling with homelessness when they left the defence force.

“We did not fully understand the difference between the RSL club here in Yass and the RSL sub branch until we joined,” Ginger said. “If clubs are carrying a name that links them to the RSL and are profiting from the name then they should be giving more to support veterans.”

RSL and Services Clubs Association president Margot Smith said she was “disappointed” RSL NSW was pushing to end the association “when clubs have proudly upheld the RSL tradition for many decades”.

“We have repeatedly sought, and continue to do so, constructive dialogue with RSL NSW to seek better outcomes for veterans and their families in NSW,” she said. “Importantly, it is not the remit of RSL and Services Clubs to deliver frontline veterans welfare services across the state. That is the role of RSL NSW.”

On Wednesday, Deputy Premier Prue Car urged RSL NSW and RSL clubs to cool their dispute as Anzac Day approaches.

“This is a matter that really is best left between RSL NSW and particular registered clubs,” she said.

“I would just urge people to remember it’s days away from Anzac Day and for a lot of people who have returned from armed conflict from overseas or those who are remembering family members that this can be quite a difficult time.”

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Originally published as Stop using our RSL brand to ‘khaki wash’ your pokie cash says veterans chief