RSL advises delaying membership of the Institute of Veterans’ Advocacy (IVA)
RSL Victoria and RSL Australia are calling on all State Branches, Sub-Branches and all advocates and members to delay joining the Institute of Veterans’ Advocacy (IVA) until several significant concerns relating to authority, governance, operations and funding arrangements have been satisfactorily addressed.
Background
On 3 July 2026, RSL Australia and State Branch CEOs met to consider the potential benefits of IVA membership, discuss ongoing concerns and establish a coordinated national position.
While IVA membership may offer benefits such as professional indemnity insurance, dispute resolution, and access to advocacy information, the collective view of the RSL network is that these benefits are currently outweighed by a number of unresolved concerns.
As a result, RSL Australia committed to engaging directly with IVA to seek clarification and improvements about the IVA’s governance, operating model and fee structure, with the objective of ensuring further arrangements deliver genuine value for advocates, veterans and their families.
Key concerns
Following further engagement with the IVA, additional concerns have emerged, including:
- The potential for the IVA to receive and distribute Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) funding, effectively positioning itself as the primary mechanism for delivering free advocacy services to veterans
- Advocacy by the IVA on broader veteran policy matters that extend beyond its stated advocacy remit, including issues such as allied health care funding arrangements
- Membership recruitment approaches that seek to engage individual RSL State Branches and Sub-Branches independently rather than recognising and supporting a nationally-coordinated RSL network approach
- A sustainability model is contingent on ongoing government funding, despite no long-term commitment in place. There is concern this may lead to efforts to establish IVA as the sector peak body.
Agreed actions
- RSL State Branch CEOs and State Presidents have agreed to defer IVA membership decisions
- RSL Victoria advises all Sub-Branches and advocates to do the same
- The RSL Australia CEO will continue to engage with IVA CEO to address our concerns identified and seek improvements to IVA’s governance, structure and member benefits
- RSLA will engage with government, where appropriate, to address IVA governance, management and delivery issues
- State Branch leadership will be kept informed of developments as discussions progress towards a formal RSL-wide position on IVA membership.
Current advice
Until a formal, nationally agreed RSL position is finalised, RSL Victoria advises all Sub-Branches, advocates and members not to join the Institute of Veterans’ Advocacy (IVA).
