The RSL has called for urgent action to address the recommendations of the Interim Report handed down by the Commissioners of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The RSL welcomed the Report with the ex-service organisation recognising its release as an important milestone in the process.

While the Interim Report largely focuses on the operations of the Department of Veteran Affairs and the evidence process of the Royal Commission, the RSL recognises there are improvements that can and need to be made in the Ex-Service Organisation (ESO) sector.

The Federal Government is calling for feedback on draft legislation to ensure no veteran pays higher income tax because of the Federal Court’s Douglas decision ruling. The draft Treasury Laws Amendment (Measures for a later sitting) Bill 2022: Taxation of military superannuation benefits, and explanatory material, have been released for public consultation.

The RSL has commended comments by Defence Minister Richard Marles expressing his desire to substantially increase the lethality and strategic strike power of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) within the next five to seven years.

The RSL says Australia’s defence spending should immediately rise from the 2.11 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), to at least 2.5 percent.

With current international instability and increased tensions in the Asia Pacific region, Australia should not lose sight of the fact that the nation’s defence capabilities are grossly inadequate

To keep you informed about the Hearings from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, the RSL Royal Commission Office has prepared a summary of the Townsville Hearing Block, including the key themes examined so far and the actions of the League in response. The RSL will continue to provide these summaries periodically.

Three key ex-service organisations including RSL Australia have called for non-liability health care (NLHC) for all Defence Reservists.

The Defence Reserves Association (DRA), the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA), and the Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) have written a joint letter to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh, seeking his support for the extension of health care to all those serving in the reserve forces.

As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign (July – November 1942), we wanted to share the story of two legendary brothers whose lives, like many, were changed forever during their time defending Port Moresby from a Japanese advance on the Kokoda Track.

Stan and Thomas (Butch) Bisset, were the youngest brothers in a family of five children. Their strong bond was forged through a childhood playing sports, fishing, rafting and learning to shoot their .22 rifles in Warrandyte’s countryside (Melbourne).

Through the RSL Veterans’ Employment Program we were proud to attend and support the graduation of 18 veterans and spouses who recently graduated from Australia’s first Veteran Cyber Academy.

This pilot Academy offered fully funded positions in the 16-week immersive course. It has proven that a diverse range of ADF veterans with no cyber security experience, can be trained with industry-recognised certifications to develop real-world cyber security careers.

RSL Australia has welcomed new insights into the nation’s veteran population, with 2021 Census data released today revealing the regions with the highest populations of current and former serving Australian Defence Force personnel.

For the first time in recent Census’ history, the Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded data on Australian Defence Force service. The highly sought-after insights provide a clearer picture of how many veterans there are in Australia and where key communities are located, which will help enable and shape effective delivery of support services.

RSL is working to introduce a pilot program to enable veterans and their families to more effectively access vital services and support to improve their lives.

The project would address a need outlined by the Chief of Defence Angus Campbell this week when he appeared before the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The League recognised the need to deliver on new solutions for veterans and their families, and the ‘Catalogue of Services’ presented an innovative use of technology to provide timely information about where services are in any area through an app and web-based system.

The RSL has condemned the move by Greens’ Leader Adam Bandt and other Green MPs to remove the Australian flag from media conferences and other events.

RSL Australia president Greg Melick said while some may regard the actions of Mr Bandt as little more than a political stunt, it was particularly hurtful to the thousands of Australian men and women who had served or who are still serving under that very flag, as well as to the families of those who had sacrificed their lives in the service of our country.

The RSL is encouraging the Federal Government to look at providing guaranteed and sustainable needs-based funding to supplement the ongoing reliance on ex-service organisations and volunteers.

This follows the RSL experiencing a record year in demand for support, representation and service delivery across the veteran community across which more than $13.3 million was spent on welfare service delivery. In the past year, the RSL has provided 437,000 hours of advocacy on behalf of veterans – more than 370,000 hours of work supporting veterans’ claims for compensation and 66,000 hours of veteran welfare services.

The RSL has acknowledged that many veterans are deeply concerned and indeed angered at the apparent downgrading of the Veterans’ Affairs portfolio, placing it in the outer Ministry. Although the RSL strongly believes the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs should be a member of the inner Cabinet, the most important issue is the level of government support provided to veterans.

This year RSL Australia will distribute $32,000 in education-based Scholarships to deserving students throughout Australia.  For 2022, we proudly announce the four recipients of the RSL Scholarship and Reg Sanders Scholarship which are awarded to children and grandchildren of Australia's ex-serving veterans.  We look forward to seeing these students prosper in their chosen fields….

RSL Australia welcomes the appointment of Western Australian MP Matt Keogh as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel. It looks forward to working with Mr Keogh, the Government and indeed the Australian community as it seeks better outcomes for those who are serving and have served our nation in the armed forces.

Australia’s 1,150+ RSL Branches and Sub-Branches around Australia will mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the RSL of Australia in June by lighting up in royal purple, hosting high teas, conducting tree plantings, and other promotional activities.

Cherisa Pearce is full of enthusiasm and passion for bettering the lives of veterans. Her impressive military career began at 21 years of age, involved three deployments to Timor Leste and spanned over 21 years, retiring as Second in Command of the Royal Military College. As the 5th generation to serve in her family, daughter of a Vietnam Vet, and with a currently serving partner, Cherisa is well informed on the issues facing the veteran community and their families.

As a kid, I was a Legacy ward and the RSL was always there to help my mother. We survived on a war widow’s pension and my mother did it hard. I will never forget how appreciative my mother was for someone to talk to that understood the complexities of being a war widow and an ex-military family.

In April 2022, a ceremony was held in South Korea in which students from Gapyeong High School and Gapyeong Middle School received scholarship grants from RSL’s Jubilee Commemorative Fund. These Scholarships serve as an enduring memorial to honour Australians who fought and lost their lives in the Korean War (1950 – 1953).

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide completed its fourth Hearing Block in Canberra, in early April. This was attended by RSL’s Ambassador Pete Rudland. You can read a summary of the key themes in this report.

RSL has welcomed the increased funding for veterans promised by the Labor Party as part of its Federal Election package released on Sunday. The funding commitment will assist in redressing many of the difficulties now confronting veterans and their families.