Civil war erupts at Tewantin Noosa RSL Memorial Club

Civil war has erupted at a Queensland RSL club, with relations between officials so bad that Anzac Day events this year had to be moved offsite and funds are being raised for a court fight.

Civil war has erupted at a Queensland RSL club, with relations between officials so bad that even this year’s official Anzac Day events were moved to the local pub.

A popular “Diggers’ Bar” has closed, a weekly charity meat tray raffle was given the chop, and verbal shots are flying on Facebook amid the bitter battle at Tewantin Noosa RSL Memorial Club.

The feud has split the club and the RSL sub-branch, which occupy adjoining premises at Tewantin.

The bad blood saw the sub-branch move this year’s Anzac Day gunfire breakfast, two-up and veterans lunch to Tewantin’s Royal Mail Hotel while the RSL club held rival events.

Tewantin Noosa RSL Club chairman Tim Bassett, Dean Harlow and Trevor Clarey. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / Courier Mail

A popular Diggers’ Bar operated by the RSL club closed this year after the sub-branch moved to hike the rent, while the club has been accused of cancelling life memberships of 450 sub-branch members.

The sub-branch, which has launched failed bids to overthrow the club board, is now rallying its troops to donate $200 each to a planned $80,000 “fighting fund” to take the club to the Supreme Court.

“It’s on! The gloves are off!!”, a Facebook group calling itself the Tewantin Noosa Member Group said last month.

“We need funds to proceed to (the) Supreme Court and justice will prevail.”

Club chairman Tim Bassett accused the sub-branch of a “hate campaign” against him and his board, saying he had been falsely branded “a bully”.

He said the problems began about two years ago when the sub-branch tried to “take over” the club. Mr Bassett said relations were “poisoned” further when former SAS commando Clinton Ware became sub-branch president last year after his wife Kelli was appointed secretary. He said his attempts to reach out to Mr Ware were ignored and the sub-branch had continued its “hostilities”.

“They want to take over the club and it be their cash cow,” he alleged.

Mr Bassett said the club had leased part of the sub-branch property for a Diggers’ Bar since 1981 but it was closed this year after the sub-branch moved to increase the rent from $71,000 to $104,000 a year.

Tewantin Noosa RSL Club general manager Michael Sue See. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen / Courier Mail

RSL Club general manager Michael Sue See said the club had decided to suspend about $100,000 in support for the sub-branch, including meat trays for raffles, “until they stop all this negative stuff”.

“The club has always maintained that we’re open to negotiate and get things back on track but … they don’t want to ... resolve the issue,” he said

Mr Bassett denied club life memberships had been cancelled, and said he had “bent over backwards” to help the sub-branch, including getting the club to forgive a $266,000 debt, “yet I’m this ogre they want to get rid of”.

“I’m an ex-serviceman and I believe in the sub-branch, but we’re not there just for them,” he said. “These sub-branches, they come and go, and when they go they leave a trail of destruction that someone has to come in behind and clean up.

Mr Ware did not respond to a request for comment.