There are new ways of helping New Zealand’s newer veterans and the old-style RSA clubs are not it, says retired Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, chairman of the Royal NZ Returned and Services’ Association.
That was the underlying ethos of the RNZRSA’s “relaunch” at Parliament last night – a sparkling event intended to draw a line under divisive internal politicking and set a new direction for the veterans’ organisation.
RSA stalwarts opposed to the national body’s moves have spoken of objecting to a “command and control” influence they say runs roughshod over each club’s independence.
They’ve also spoken against changes they say strike at the clubs’ connections to their communities beyond those who have directly served.
The event, graced by Cabinet ministers and military command, sought to end the infighting that has seen the rebel “old guard” recently file a lawsuit with the High Court seeking a judicial review over recent changes to the RSA’s constitution.
It also underscored its developing focus with an extended screening of the documentary Back To Timor.
In an interview with the Herald, the RSA rebellion was dismissed by Jones as driven by a small group of clubs disgruntled at being told what to do, which was to focus on supporting veterans rather than maintaining institutions that are struggling to survive.
Jones, a former Chief of Defence, said a “generational shift” was happening as the older generation of veterans, who deployed and returned in large contingents from recognised landmark wars, gave way to contemporary veterans whose service was often in smaller groups to lesser-known conflicts.
He said that needed to be recognised by modernising the RSA’s administration and structure so it “refocuses back support to veterans, not about the clubs or associations” that were developed to support earlier generations of war fighters.
Doing so, he said, would better reflect the needs of “contemporary veterans rather than the needs of 100 years ago veterans”.
RSAs developed organically over years, initially during World War I, and mostly around large military units formed geographically. That meant those who returned home from service would return to the same areas, leading to clubs forming where significant numbers of veterans clustered.
These days, and for decades, military units have reflected specific trades and specialities rather than where service people came from.
Contemporary veterans have also told the Herald the RSA’s hospitality-focused offering doesn’t appeal to a younger, active contingent in a generation less inclined to drinking.
Jones said the dwindling numbers of older veterans had led to some clubs closing and others struggling to meet operating costs, draining away “assets they’ve gained over the last 100-plus years that have been donated by the public”.
Jones said there had been cases of clubs amalgamating and “they’ve almost ignored that support to veterans [as] RSA assets have disappeared and gone into other parts of the community”, with clubs broadening their appeal and membership.
He said a “veteran support hub”, as developed in some parts of the country, could be a better way of directly providing support to veterans who needed it.
The RSA modernisation also provided support for RSAs that faced financial or membership stress and needed to move away from hospitality, he said.
“The hospitality-based organisations still have a purpose. The whole aim of what we’re trying to achieve is that there’s a point of contact for veterans.
“Some get that contact by joining clubs and have a place to go – others don’t want to do that. And we need to have other ways for the contemporary veterans to maintain contact.”
Jones said some younger veterans might not need help now but it was important to make sure there was a structure in place that could support them when they did.
“It’s making sure that the contemporary veterans know where to go for support so we can be there for members or non-members so long as they’re veterans.”
Jones said while those who served often needed support for the physical toll of service, there was also the need to support the mental health of veterans. He said it was still a struggle to make people understand that psychological support was just as important.
Those involved in peacekeeping missions and disaster relief, along with war zones, were exposed to potentially damaging environments that most people would not experience and had lasting impacts.
Jones said the existing system to support veterans – Veterans Affairs for those who qualified for support and ACC for those who did not – had “many holes and gaps” on which the RNZRSA advocated, including changes to the current legislation.
“I think we’re still set up to recognise physical injury and the whole kind of process is more geared towards that rather than that holistic support we need going into the future.”
The RSA’s collective focus has been marred by a turf war over the past two years that has resulted in a number of clubs preparing to break away.
Jones said those rebels were a “quite small” but “vocal minority”. He said the change to the constitution, often cited as the reason for the discontent, “was not the reason for this rebellion”.
“It was more it was a bone to be chewed, that they could actually get some leverage on that.
“They’re not wanting someone to actually look at what they’re doing and say, ‘actually you shouldn’t be doing that, this is what you should be doing’, and that’s been going on for quite some time.
“It’s about clubs and organisations having been run a particular way for so long and they are not really recognising the generational shift that’s needed to go from veterans of the past to the veterans of the future.”
Jones said many clubs had brought in people who had not served, which had the benefit of expanding the skillset on which they could call.
He said those members “really do add value” but there was a danger it “dissipates that focus on veterans” and could potentially draw RSAs away from their core purpose.
Opposing clubs have taken heart from a legal opinion critical of the constitution process, which they say supports their view the national office changed the voting rules to get their changes through.
In contrast, the national office says the process followed was appropriate and needed to meet law changes to how incorporated societies operate.
Jones said he could not comment on the legal case brought by a group of rebel clubs challenging the constitution and the process by which it was changed.
Minister for Veterans Chris Penk said the RNZRSA was a “valued partner in shaping Government policy for our veteran community” and he often sought the views of its national board.
While the RNZRSA operated independently, and advocated as such, Penk said he was working with it to “improve recognition for veterans”, including expanding the definition of a veteran through a new law.
Penk said the screening of the Back To Timor documentary was a great opportunity for those present to share memories and remember those who served, and where they served.
David Fisher is based in Northland and has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years, winning multiple journalism awards including being twice named Reporter of the Year and being selected as one of a small number of Wolfson Press Fellows to Wolfson College, Cambridge. He joined the Herald in 2004.
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