Chairman’s Message

DEAN THOMAS

“Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved; differences resolved. It is a type of confidence. And it is fragile” –Bernard

Beckett

In recent conversations with industry friends and colleagues the prevailing emotion I sense is one of frustration. Frustration at a narrative that assumes our organisations are opposed to change and reform and that we have no understanding of what our communities expect of us; frustration at an attempt to create a conventional wisdom which says we are unaware of our obligations to provide safe Club environments. I can understand this frustration, because this is not the RSL & Services Club sector that I know.

One sign of a good leader is the ability to face uncertainty with resolve.

So, if there’s any good that’s to come of this landscape we find ourselves in, it’s that we’re about to go through a period of significant learning. The time for reflection will come, when we explore what we could have done differently over the last few years to guard against an environment like this again. For now, let’s come together to stand firm on what we believe in and make the most of the industry developments as they unfold.

Our best chance of sensible and measured gambling reform which puts people at the very centre of the issue, is by informing those who have been misinformed in the past.

In the immediate future, you should do your best to articulate to politicians, staff, members, community partners - your RG and AML programs as well as your commitment to community on so many levels.

We have faced adversity before and we will face adversity again. When I think about the industry and the collective knowledge, I am comforted that we have the expertise we need to navigate these changes together, whatever they end up being.

The path may not be of our choosing, but we will put our stamp on the roadmap and use our voices and our intellect to affect change in a positive way as best we can.

If we have learnt anything from the last few years, it’s that we are resilient, resourceful and rational. Let’s rally to get the best outcomes for our industry. Some of those might be technological – but many of those will be cultural. We are the clubs where people want to work, play and stay. The atmosphere we are projecting at the moment and into the coming months is critical – show your teams how it’s done –lead by example and remain open-minded, curious and upbeat about what lies ahead. Our staff, members, community partners and stakeholders can look forward to our best effort.

In my experience, RSL and Services Clubs in NSW see their existence not as a right but as a privilege and we are ready to respond and evolve along with our communities.

DEAN THOMAS Chairman

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As an Association, it’s been a strange quarter. We’ve tried to provide clarity and simplicity in a noisy environment, and we’ve been advocating for the best interests of our industry.

In meetings with various stakeholders it’s clear that there is confusion about what digital gaming might look likeand what is even possible in the immediate future. It’s one of those scenarios where we will need to ‘build the plane while we’re flying’.

How we negotiate and influence over the coming months is important - and the stories we tell ourselves and each other must be open minded and innovative. We need to be talking with all sides of politics to have crucial conversations about gambling reform.

From a thought leadership perspective, we will hold the Gaming & Leadership Conference on 8 & 9 June in Sydney for club managers and staff. We will also deliver our Annual Conference at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne from 27-30 August.

In addition, we were successful in our application from Women in Hospitality & Gaming Australasia for a grant to deliver a Women’s Leadership Roundtable Series and Mentoring Program.

In line with our purpose, Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge applications close in April, so be sure to touch base with Brad if you want to send along a young local or a team member. March has also seen us launch our Snores for a Cause campaign which is about adopting healthy sleep habits while raising funds for veterans and their families, for the Veterans Benevolent Fund. There is still time to donate www.snoresforacause.com.au

In late February a delegation of 30 Club representatives from many of the AWM Last Post Ceremony Sponsor Clubs visited Canberra in a Tour organised by the Association to thank these Clubs for their support.

The delegation spent an afternoon at the Australian War Memorial, inspecting the storage facilities where new pieces that have never been seen before will be on display once the AWM expansion is finished, as well as attending the Last Post Ceremony that day. Thank you to Leanne Kyle, Managing Director of Defence Community Dogs who organised Steve and Mocha to pay everyone a visit so they could learn more about the program.

The next morning was spent at the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex at Tidbinbilla, where delegates heard about Australia’s important role in deep space exploration.

The RSL & Services Clubs Association, in partnership with RSL Victoria and QLD, have funded the operation and online broadcast of the Last Post Ceremony at the daily close of the Australian War Memorial since 2013 until the end of 2022. From 2023 this will now be proudly supported by the RSL & Services Clubs Association and RSL Australia.

This Agreement is now up for renewal and our Association is seeking three year commitments from member clubs to enable this important service to continue.

We have been working with RSL NSW and ClubsNSW on how we can lead in the veterans engagement space and collaborate for effective outcomes. In advance of Anzac Day, think about what you can do to create ongoing connection with current and former serving personnel with your club or group, or with our colleagues at RSL NSW.

Keep an eye out for upcoming webinars for more topical updates from the RSL&SCA. And please get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions.

Margot Smith, CEO

The vision of the RSL & Services Clubs Association is ‘To inspire and unite communities by recognising veterans’ service.’ For this reason we have been supporting programs such as Homes for Heroes and Operation Care for years, and in the last five years we started the Veterans Benevolent Fund.

As a way to bring our vision to life, we have launched our first fundraising ‘month’, Snores for a Cause. Like Steptember or Movember, you do a ‘thing’ over the month and raise money for a worthwhile cause. Snores for a Cause is about developing healthy sleep habits over the month of March and raising funds for veterans and their families.

We feel strongly that the wellbeing of veterans and their families should be on the minds of every Australian and that’s why we’re launching a ‘month’ to shine a light on those who sacrifice so much for our freedoms.

What is Snores for a Cause?

Throughout the month of March, Aussies are being challenged to become super sleepers, by adopting better sleeping habits for their own wellbeing and to raise money for Veterans’ charities. Snores for a Cause teaches participants about healthy sleep habits, to get a better nights’ sleep for them and their family.

CEO of Veterans mental health charity Swiss 8 and Snores for a Cause Ambassador, Adrian Sutter, said getting a solid nights’ sleep is the highest priority for many veterans striving at improving our sleep habits, while raising money for a worthwhile cause”.

Swiss 8 is a health promotion charity, using experience of combat veterans to create tools that assist everyone in building a healthy, high-performing lifestyle. Sleep is the most important of the eight pillars of health in Swiss 8’s proven measure for holistic wellbeing. Disrupted or poor sleep is a problem millions of other Australians are facing, often without realising.

“With devices by our sides 24/7, leading busier and busier lives, many of us have developed poor sleeping habits. 40% of Australian adults experience some form of inadequate sleep,” said Moira Junge, CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation.

“Many parents are quite rightly worried about their children’s sleep habits. A quarter of kids aged 12-15 aren’t getting the recommended 8-10 hours sleep a night, most only getting around 6.5-7.5 hours. This can lead to more than just a grumpy teenager. Chronic sleep deprivation can have affect teenagers’ mental wellbeing and reduce their academic performance at school,”

“Fundraise as individuals or fundraise as a group and all you have to do is sleep – no training required for this challenge!” said Ms Smith. Visit www.snoresforacause.com.au to donate today. All funds raised get distributed via the VBF.

Geoff Evans CEO of Disaster Relief Australia said “Veteran wellbeing is something that we at Disaster Relief Australia are huge advocates of. Sleep is the bedrock of wellbeing and sleep disturbances can be a particular risk for veterans. Snores for a Cause is an opportunity for all of us to focus on healthy sleep habits while raising funds for veterans and their families.”

“Clubs are at the heart of their communities, especially during times of disaster. Clubs have been one of DRA’s strongest supporters since our inception and have enabled us to deliver help and hope to hundreds of communities in the wake major disasters. They have also provided significant support to veterans both directly and indirectly through the Veterans Benevolent Fund. It is a long-standing partnership that we are very proud of”.

Clubs4Clubs have already been a big supporter as have a number of individual clubs and corporate partners - as usual supporting worthy causes in a significant way. In future we would like to see deep engagement with schools, community groups, and broader stakeholders. We'd love you to get behind it to shine a light on this important area for our industry.

Amid a Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide, there is a need to put a conversation about the wellbeing of veterans and their families in every household. Snores for a Cause is about healthy sleep habits for every household, but it’s also about keeping our valued veterans in our hearts and in our minds for the month of March and beyond.

There are many veterans doing well, but for those that aren’t we need effective ways to support them and their families.

The month has generated a great deal of awareness, but has launched in a noisy month amid an election campaign. The aim is for this to be an annual campaign that serves as a platform to highlight the importance of veterans and their families.