RSL Victoria consults with Sub-Branches across Victoria on reform agenda
When the RSL was founded in 1915 as the Returned Services Association it would have been difficult to envisage just how important the organisation would become.
The association was forged amid an ongoing war that consumed the entire nation. It found its purpose in the circumstances of the day, returned and often wounded soldiers creating the organisation’s structure and rules on the run as it grew from a handful of soldiers to a national organisation with hundreds of thousands of members by the end of the war.
Over the following 110 years, the founders passed the running of the League on to Second World War, Korea, Vietnam and finally the veterans of today, whose experience ranges from Peacekeeping Operations, Afghanistan, Iraq and on home soil both full time and reservist.
While the people have changed, the structure has largely stayed the same.
In January 2025 the State Executive of RSL Victoria commissioned a comprehensive review of the organisation to ensure it remained able to meet the changing needs of the veteran community.
That independent review, conducted by Thought Post Board Advisory, was delivered in June 2025 and made several recommendations to guide the transformation of RSL Victoria.
In August newly elected RSL Victoria State President Dr Mark Schröffel and CEO Sue Cattermole undertook a tour of Victorian Sub-Branches to consult about the recommendations of the review.
The most immediate change recommended was to the governance structure. The RSL currently operates as an Incorporated Association, a structure most suited to small not-for–profit community groups and not for complex structures such as RSL Victoria. As Mark Schröffel told delegates at the consultation meetings, an Incorporated Association is not suited to a statewide charity with 261 Sub-Branches and 192,000 members.
The review recommended the RSL transition to a Company Limited by Guarantee with more rigorous reporting and governance standards.
The review also recognised the onerous administrative burden the current structure places on the small Sub-Branches and seeks to find ways to enable them to focus on their core work of veteran support.
The report also recommended changes to the management of RSL Funds to allow for increased investment in veteran services and support.
Perhaps most importantly the review recommended RSL Victoria makes changes to ensure its long-term sustainability and relevance to contemporary and future veteran communities.
Underpinning this would be the development of a strategic plan underpinned by a clear articulation of RSL Victoria’s commitment to veterans and their families. This plan would focus allocation of resources towards the statewide delivery of high-quality military compensation and support services, together with inclusive social and engagement programs.
Further consultation will be undertaken as RSL begins the process of implementing the recommendations of the report and undertakes the vital task of transformation to ensure its ongoing relevance to the veteran community.
