RSL & Services Clubs Association

20/10/2026

Yesterday our very own Nicole Daws was in Bathurst for the Defence Community Dogs graduation ceremony, celebrating the latest class of assistance dogs ready to change lives.

Defence Community Dogs has been a Veterans Benevolent Fund recipient organisation for a number of years. With the support of our pledging member Clubs, the VBF has this year been able to contribute $42,200 to their Project Paw Connection.

The funds go straight to training assistance dogs for serving and ex-serving ADF members living with PTSD, depression and mood and anxiety disorders. Each dog is matched and trained around a veteran’s specific needs. Veterans then complete an intensive handover program, and DCD keeps supporting both veteran and pup.

Congratulations to all the graduating dogs, the trainers and everyone at DCD. We’re glad the VBF can back this work.

To get involved, email [email protected]. Every contribution from our member clubs makes programs like this possible. Based on your membership size, we can suggest an appropriate annual pledge that will make a real difference!

To find out more, visit: https://www.rslservicesclubs.com.au/veterans-programs/veterans-benevolent-fund/

18/10/2026

Today marks the beginning of . Talking about gambling harm helps reduce stigma and makes it easier for people to seek support.

15/10/2026

Through his work as the President of Hornsby RSL Sub-Branch, George Main is helping fellow veterans access the support, services and community they need, making sure no one has to navigate life after service alone. Every veteran has a story, and George Main’s is one that continues to make a difference in the lives of others.

We were incredibly moved by George’s winning submission at our recent Spirit of Anzac Awards, recognising his outstanding commitment to supporting veterans and their families.

Thank you George and Hornsby RSL Club for the work you continue to do and the difference you’re making in the lives of veterans and their families.

12/10/2026

After 10 days trekking the historic Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea, our 2026 Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge trekkers arrived home safely on Friday night.

Led by Group Trek Leader Zoe Adams and flag bearer Hayden Raveneau, the group of 22 tackled challenging terrain and followed in the footsteps of the Australian soldiers who fought during the Kokoda campaign.

Along the way they tested their resilience, developed leadership skills and gained a deeper understanding of the courage, endurance and mateship at the heart of the spirit of the ANZACs.

A huge thank you to Adventure Kokoda for guiding our trekkers safely across the trail, our member Clubs for sponsoring participants and investing in the next generation of leaders, Total Travel Management Pty Ltd for coordinating their arrival and departure and our very own Nicole Daws for preparing the group, answering their late-night questions and keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

We’re incredibly proud of all 22 participants. The challenge may be over but the lessons, friendships and experiences from Kokoda will stay with them long after the trek. Welcome home, everyone! We can’t wait to see what is next for you all.

01/10/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮 - 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿! 💪

For Aisha, the beach has always been a huge part of her life. Whether she’s swimming, surfing, paddling, competing in surf lifesaving, or simply enjoying time with her club community, the ocean has given her some of her closest friendships, incredible experiences and a strong sense of belonging.

Her involvement in netball, volleyball and surf lifesaving has also helped shape who she is today, teaching her the importance of teamwork, commitment and supporting those around her. She is incredibly grateful for the strong network of friends and family who continue to support her.

Now, Aisha is taking on a very different kind of challenge, 10 days on the historic Kokoda Trail!

For her, this is more than an incredible adventure. Aisha hopes the experience will push her outside of her comfort zone, help her grow her confidence and give her a greater appreciation for the opportunities and people in her life.

The trek also holds a special personal connection. Her great-grandfather served in Bougainville, and Aisha feels incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to experience, in her own way, a glimpse of the challenges faced by him and countless others who served.

We know she’ll rise to the challenge and make the most of every moment and we’re so proud to support Aisha on her Kokoda journey!

Go Aisha!

23/09/2026

Missed out on the highlights from our milestone 25th Annual Conference in Canberra this month? Club Management has published a story covering all of the best parts.

Read the full article, here:

The 25th Annual RSL & Services Clubs conference took place in Canberra last week.

18/09/2026

Our 25th Annual Gala Night brought our 3 days to a memorable close. Sponsored by AustralianSuper, Shane Skeen helped us open the night with plenty of laughs and set the tone for a night of great celebration.

We then turned our attention to the 19th Annual Spirit of Anzac Awards, proudly sponsored by Thomsons, with Partner Arjunan Puveendran helping present our winners in each of the four categories.

The awards are a chance to recognise the people and clubs who continue to bring the Spirit of Anzac to life through service, leadership and commitment to their communities. This year’s awards also saw the introduction of the inaugural Bruce Kingsbury VC Leadership Award, recognising leadership through action.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:
🏆 Spirit of Kokoda Award
Lachlan Barry | Milton Ulladulla ExServos Club

🏆 Outstanding Community Member Award
George Main | Hornsby RSL Club

🏆 Bruce Kingsbury VC Leadership Award
Paul Allan | Club Taree

🏆 Highly Commended | Spirit of Anzac Award
Dubbo RSL Group

🏆 Winner | Spirit of Anzac Award
Cronulla RSL

The night also delivered two very special moments in support of the Veterans Benevolent Fund, with our guests helping raise an incredible $58,500.

Since 2016, we have auctioned our commemorative 6L De Bortoli Wines bottle, and this year Warwick Brook led the bidding to an incredible $50,000, with the bottle going to our long-standing corporate partner, Mark Walker from Gold Security Management.

We also auctioned “The Gate”, an original charcoal on paper artwork generously donated by Hugh Semple, the Anzac Memorial’s 2025 Artist in Residence. The artwork, which has also been exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, raised a further $8,500 and will return home to Wagga RSL Club, in Hugh’s hometown.

A huge thank you to our beverage sponsors Lion Beverages, De Bortoli Wines, Campari Group and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners for keeping the drinks flowing throughout the evening.

And most importantly, thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make our 25th Annual Gala Night such a special celebration of our people, our clubs and the communities we serve.

16/09/2026

𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮!

Another full day of thought-provoking conversations, industry insights and plenty of moments to celebrate what makes our Association and our clubs so special.

We were pleased to welcome back Paul Bloxham, Chief Economist at HSBC, who returned to the Conference following his standout presentation two years ago. Paul shared his perspective on the economic forces shaping our industry, our businesses and the broader global landscape.

We were also privileged to hear from Matt Anderson PSM, Director and CEO of the Australian War Memorial, who closed our Conference program with a powerful keynote on the importance of storytelling. Drawing on the Memorial’s work to ensure every veteran’s story is told, Matt explored how storytelling can create connection, relevance and stronger engagement with our staff, members and veteran communities.

As we celebrate 25 years of the RSL & Services Clubs Association, we also took time to recognise those who have helped build our Association along the way.

Our Foundation Members and Partners were presented with a special 25-year commemorative medallion, recognising their longstanding contribution and support since our Association's earliest days.

We also recognised the many member clubs who have generously supported the Veterans Benevolent Fund, presenting certificates of appreciation for their contribution to a Fund that has now raised more than $2.1 million to support veterans and their families through vital programs and services.

From economic trends and workforce challenges to the stories of veterans and the future of our industry, Day Two was a fitting reflection of our 25th anniversary theme: 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁 & 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

Thank you to our speakers, partners, exhibitors, member clubs and delegates for making our 25th Annual Conference such a memorable one. 🥂

14/09/2026

𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Day 1 of our 25th Annual Conference is done and dusted. Thanks to our Principal Corporate Sponsor MAX, today brought our members together to look at some of the biggest opportunities and challenges shaping the future of our clubs.

Mark Bouris AM challenged us to think about what it takes to build organisations that remain strong, relevant and resilient. AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas answered our associations biggest questions around AML/CTF, while Fiona Shand explored the increasingly complex role of today’s Club Director.

The conversation continued with Greg Russell, Michael Clancy and Peter Sargent GAICD taking to the stage for a candid discussion on compliance and governance.

And, of course, our incredible MC Lehmo kept the room entertained throughout the day.

Tomorrow promises to be even bigger, followed by our Gala Dinner sponsored by AustralianSuper and 19th Spirit of Anzac Awards in partnership with Thomsons! See you all bright and early for Day 2...

14/09/2026

Our 25th Annual Conference is officially underway in Canberra.

Yesterday, delegates came together at the Australian War Memorial for a moving Last Post Ceremony commemorating Private Stanley Archibald Simpson, whose story was shared at the request of his family.

We were honoured to have Patsy Edwards OAM - Director RSL & Services Clubs Association, Ron Harris - President RSL & Services Clubs Association QLD and Brad Smith, Acting CEO RSL & Services Clubs Association present wreaths during the ceremony, as we paused to remember Stanley and the more than 103,000 Australians named on the Memorial’s Roll of Honour.

The evening then continued with our Welcome Cocktail Reception in the incredible new Anzac Atrium, where delegates enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate the beginning of a very special week.

Thank you to MAX for proudly sponsoring the evening and for their support as our Principal Conference Partner.

A meaningful and memorable start to our 25th Annual Conference.