Membership feud at Tewantin Noosa RSL Club amid lease dramas
War veterans have claimed a Noosa RSL club continues to take pot shots at its sub branch with at least 50 membership applications being knocked back amid lease negotiations of a popular bar.
Sunshine Coast
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War veterans say their membership applications at a Noosa RSL club are being knocked back in droves amid a stalemate over lease negotiations of a popular bar.
Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch members are reportedly having their membership applications for the Tewantin Noosa RSL Club rejected en masse, with reports of close to 50 members being denied membership.
It comes after the RSL club made the decision to remove annual membership from sub branch members and grant them honorary membership at the club from December.
Among those to have their membership applications rejected include Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch president Clinton Ware and Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch deputy president Michael Byrne.
The membership knock-back is adding fuel to the fire of the disagreement over lease negotiations of the Diggers Bar, which is set to close from Sunday, March 3 due to the non-renewal of the lease.
Mr Byrne said both scenarios had left war veterans devastated.
“Well, they’re not happy,” Mr Byrne said.
“We reckon there are at least 50 members that we personally know of who have had their membership applications rejected in the last three to four weeks.
“We have a lady that has been a member and volunteer at the club, she ran raffles in the club for 40 years, and she has got a rejection letter, it’s not right.”
Mr Byrne added that the move had not done anything to ease tensions between the two entities.
“I said to the general manager ‘how can you ask me to stop people making comments when you keep rejecting memberships, you can’t be serious?’” he said.
“We started renegotiating on the bar and at the same time they’re still sending rejection letters and expecting people to go ‘oh this is fun’.
“If you don’t want bullets being fired, stop firing bullets.”
A Tewantin Noosa RSL and Citizens Memorial Club spokeswoman would not comment on the membership fiasco due to ongoing negotiations.
“In good faith towards these negotiations, the club will not comment on membership or any other matter that is part of these negotiations,” the spokeswoman said.
“Once again, the club and sub branch have taken steps towards resolving our issues and the club is very grateful that the sub branch has agreed to engage in positive and meaningful negotiations.”
The spokeswoman claimed that both entities have taken measures towards an improved relationship in a bid to resolve the lease of the bar.
‘Both the club and sub branch have taken the first step towards repairing their relationship, with the club formally outlining a memorandum of understanding that would see both parties agreeing to work collaboratively on common objectives and both parties agreeing to cease all adverse actions or commentary towards each other,” the spokeswoman said.
“This commitment will assist greatly in bringing both the club and sub branch together once again.
“The club is very appreciative of the sub branch agreeing to engage in these negotiations and looks forward to once again having a positive and productive relationship.”
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