Napier RSA could leave national body amid ‘disharmony’ claim

Napier RSA is considering withdrawing its membership and leaving the national body, the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RNZRSA), due in part to fallout from an article published last year.

The national body
says “it is our sincere hope that the members of the Napier RSA will vote to renew their commitment” to the association following the shock proposal.

However, Napier RSA, which has been operating for more than 100 years, stated in a recent newsletter that “for a large part of 2023 there has been disharmony” between the two parties.

The club has asked its returned and service members (which includes its veterans) to vote on whether to withdraw its membership from the RNZRSA.

Napier RSA has about 2500 members, of which 317 are returned and service members.

Under its constitution, only returned and service members can vote for such a change, and two-thirds of returned voting papers would need to be supportive for it to happen.

The voting process has begun and closes on April 12. Napier RSA said it preferred not to comment until the voting process concluded.

It is understood other RSA clubs around the country are keeping a close eye on the outcome.

One of the reasons for the proposal has to do with a Herald article published last August.

RNZRSA chairman Martyn Dunne made comments in that article calling for local clubs to better support veterans and avoid becoming a “booze hall or fellowship centre”.

He apologised at a workshop event in Wellington last month for comments made in the article that “caused some upset”.

Napier RSA referenced the article when writing to its members in January about its proposal to leave the national body.

Napier RSA pays a sizeable fee to the national body each year as one of 182 RSA clubs around the country.

A recent Napier RSA newsletter stated “for a large part of 2023 there has been disharmony between RNZRSA and Napier RSA”.

“At the forefront of this is a belief by our national office that the RSA organisation can be best served by having only returned and/or service [personnel] holding the most senior and majority positions on the individual executive committees nationwide.”

RNZRSA refuted that claim in a letter to the local branch in February, stating it “supports good governance however it arises” as long as it supported veterans.

Napier RSA has stated in past newsletters that the withdrawal from RNZRSA would not impact the club commemorating Anzac Day, Poppy Day or Armistice Day.

“We will continue our relationship with RNZRSA as guardians of remembrance and maintain support and advocacy of returned and service veterans and commemorative services,” one newsletter read.

RNZRSA board chairman Dunne said “we are incredibly disappointed that the Napier RSA is considering withdrawing its membership”.

“We are continuing our attempts to work with the Napier RSA, including a recent offer of mediation, but ultimately the decision of whether or not to remain with the RNZRSA rests with their members.”

He said any association that withdrew membership must remove all badges and signage that belong to RNZRSA by an agreed date, and it would not be allowed to collect donations “under the auspices” of the Poppy Appeal.

“It is our sincere hope that the members of the Napier RSA will vote to renew their commitment to supporting the veterans in their area by remaining part of the RNZRSA family.”

Napier RSA owns its own building on the fringe of the city centre. It celebrated its centenary in 2016.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.