Sunshine Coast petition calls for Caloundra RSL amalgamation plans to stop

A petition calling to end amalgamation plans at the Caloundra RSL has more than 700 signatures, as the relationship between the services club and sub branch fractures.

More than 700 people have signed a petition calling for any amalgamation plans between a Sunshine Coast RSL services club and sub branch to be scrapped.

The petition comes as one services club insider described the relationship between the Caloundra RSL Services Club and the Caloundra RSL Sub Branch as a “bad marriage”.

In June, 2022, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported on the possible amalgamation of the sub branch and the services club.

In June the Caloundra RSL Sub Branch hosed down speculation a sale was in the pipeline but confirmed an investigation into the possibility of an amalgamation was under way.

The services club and the sub branch are two separate entities, each with its own board, and only sub branch members would vote on any amalgamation plans.

An RSL Queensland spokeswoman this week said that an amalgamation between the sub branch and services club was not possible.

A change.org petition that calls for an end to any amalgamation was started about three weeks ago and as at the morning of July 11, 2022, it had attracted 770 signatures.

Services club chief executive Graeme Devin said the services club had paid the sub branch more than $30m in rent between 2006 and 2020.

Mr Devin said the sub branch owns the land and building in which the services club operates.

He said the sub branch had a $17m loan and a $4m overdraft.

“They still owe $8m or $9m on the loan, once you take out interest and principal,” Mr Devin said.

“You look and that go, well, there’s $8m or $9m left and you think ‘what did you spend it on?’

“You’d think there’d be some sort of significant program.”

He said the relationship between the sub branch and the services club was “like a bad marriage”.

“The staff are in a situation where there’s all this stuff happening around them and they’re worried about their jobs,” Mr Devin said.

Mr Devin said the services club employed about 200 staff.

RSL sub branch president Heather Christie declined to comment on the relationship between the sub branch and the services club, and Mr Devin’s comments about loan repayments and what the loan repayments were spent on.

She declined to comment on any staffing concerns.

“If you want to find out what the sub branch is doing, come and talk to the president of the sub branch,” Ms Christie said.

Caloundra sub branch president Heather Christie.

She said in regards to the amalgamation, the matter was in the hands of the sub branch’s solicitors.

Mr Devin said he hoped the two entities could work together and focus on debt reduction.

“The club needs to be able to invest in itself and to do that it needs to make profit and spend that money in the community,” he said.

An RSL spokeswoman said RSL Queensland was aware of the ongoing discussions between the sub branch and the services club.

“Each entity shares the RSL name due to historical legacy, but stricter liquor and gaming laws in the 90s meant that each entity had to operate separately,” she said.

“To that effect, The Caloundra RSL Sub Branch would not be able to amalgamate with the RSL Caloundra Services Club Inc.”

She said RSL Queensland and RSL sub branches remained committed to supporting veterans and delivering veteran services.

She said RSL Queensland was a registered charity comprised of sub branches, districts and RSL Queensland, which existed to provide wellbeing and welfare assistance to the defence community.