Richmond RSL Victoria 3121

14/11/2025

31/10/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bcz5btwi2/

06/12/2024

19/11/2024

**A Call to Action for Veterans and the RSL Community**

To the National Leadership of the RSL, from Veteran lobbyist Bill Westhead.

“As the government enters election mode, they are working to “clear the decks,” including addressing the Royal Commission into Defence Personnel and Veteran Su***de (RC) recommendations and the Veterans Legislation Reform - Exposure Draft (VETS Bill).

But for veterans, “consensus” and “bipartisan” are becoming excuses for compromise.

After years of fighting for the RC and now being on the cusp of legislative safeguards, the RSL and other stakeholders appear willing to settle without sufficient consultation with members.

The RC exposed decades of systemic failures, including 57 inquiries and 770 recommendations, yet su***des continue among our serving personnel and veterans. The RC’s additional 122 recommendations call for wholesale reform of the ADF and DVA, including addressing cultural failures.

Despite this, the RSL hasn’t taken a hard line. Compromise is not an option—it’s a betrayal of the veteran community.

The RSL National leadership must adopt the following position:
• Immediate adoption, funding, and implementation of all RC recommendations—without caveats.
• Immediate suspension of the flawed VETS Bill, which lacks imagination, is not fit for purpose, and perpetuates outdated practices that have harmed veterans for decades.

The VETS Bill fails to address key RC recommendations, including the retention of outdated evidence standards, injury-based assessments instead of whole-person evaluations, and the incorporation of critical case law. Without these reforms, it risks perpetuating the “delay, deny, die” culture identified by the RC.

Veterans won’t stand by.

A group of veterans across the eastern seaboard are mobilising to hold politicians accountable, particularly in marginal seats. If the government fails to act on RC recommendations or revises the VETS Bill appropriately, expect visible, public campaigns at pre-polling stations.

This is a call to action. For decades, muted RSL advocacy has failed veterans, who continue to su***de at alarming rates. Leadership must change, and advocacy must be bold, decisive, and unwavering.

Veterans deserve better. The time for compromise is over.”



RSL Victoria
RSL NSW
RSL South Australia
RSL WA
RSL Queensland
RSL Tasmania
RSL Australia
RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge

10/11/2024

A great speech from the RRSL President.
Lest We Forget
Barkly Gardens War Memorial

04/11/2024

30/10/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AXXPBivHy/?mibextid=WC7FNe

107 years ago today the Australian Light Horse rode into history. General Sir Harry Chauvel wrote of his Desert Column who fought through Palestine during the war, "In the Desert we have written our names". At Beersheba they wrote them into history.

"Then someone shouted, pointing through the sunset towards invisible headquarters. There, at the steady trot was regiment after regiment, squadron after squadron, coming, coming, coming! It was just half-light, they were distinct yet indistinct. The Turkish guns blazed at those hazy horsemen but they came steadily on. At two miles distant they emerged from clouds of dust, squadrons of men and horses taking shape. All the Turkish guns around Beersheba must have been directed at the menace then. Captured Turkish and German officers have told us that even then they never dreamed that mounted troops would be madmen enough to attempt rushing infantry redoubts protected by machine-guns and artillery. At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe-inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points. Machine gun and rifle fire just roared but the 4th Brigade galloped on. We heard shouts among the thundering hooves - horse after horse crashed, but the massed squadrons thundered on. We laughed in delight when the shells began bursting behind them telling that the gunners could not keep their range, then suddenly the men ceased to fall and we knew instinctively that the Turkish infantry, wild with excitement and fear, had forgotten to lower their rifle sights and the bullets were flying overhead. The Turks did the same to us at El Quatia. The last half mile was a berserk gallop with the squadrons in magnificent line, a heart-throbbing sight as they plunged up the slope, the horses leaping the redoubt trenches - my glasses showed me the Turkish bayonets thrusting up for the bellies of the horses - one regiment flung themselves from the saddle - we heard the mad shouts as the men jumped down into the trenches, a following regiment thundered over another redoubt, and to a triumphant roar of voices and hooves was galloping down the half mile slope right into the town. Then came a whirlwind of movement from all over the field, galloping batteries - dense dust from mounting regiments - a rush as troops poured for the opening in the gathering dark - mad, mad excitement - terrific explosions from down in the town.
Beersheba had fallen."
Ion Idreiss, “The Desert Column”

We’re intensely proud of all our Light Horse and Cavalry members.
Enjoy the day and celebrate it.