19 SEPTEMBER 2005

From the President's Desk

I am proud and honoured to have received your endorsement to continue for a further term as your President. My first term as President re-affirmed my belief that the RSA is as relevant today, as it was when those concerned returned soldiers met nearly 90 years ago, and founded our organisation.

The RSA remains a robust, egalitarian organisation, and our badge remains a most respected symbol. The RSA continues to have strong meaning in the community, and it remains positively regarded. We are still a body of national influence, and through our activities, we materially assist in improving the quality of life of the veterans of this nation.

We must never, however, take our position for granted – and we must continue to work to earn the trust that others place in us. We must fight to retain and enhance those few benefits that our veterans have earned, and deserve.

We have achieved much this past year – but this is work in progress – we have much to do, and much more to achieve. In an organisation as large and as diverse as ours, it is not possible to please every single member. The objective of your NEC over this past year has been to always think of the best overall interest of the organisation; to always consider what would be best for the majority of the members, and to always think of the future of the organisation – and above all, that every decision would be based on consultation and would lead to a more contemporary, efficient organisation, without losing our intrinsic values, ethics and objectives.

Criticism of decisions comes with the territory, however if those decisions stand the test of the objectives I have detailed – then your NEC believes it has acted in your best interest.

I look very much forward to working with the new NEC – I am sure that we will act together in your best interest. We will need your help – we all have a common aim – which is to continue to advance the cause of the RSA, and through that, the cause of our veterans and their families. We are but custodians of the time, custodians of a 90-year proud history of service and excellence. We must ensure that the RSA continues to moves forward.

89th National Council

A large number of Delegates, Observers and interested parties attended (more than last year), and healthy, informed, robust debate resulted. Proxy Voting was used for the first time thus allowing a small number of non-attending Associations to have their democratic right.

There will undoubtedly be a small number of members who will not be totally supportive of some of the approved remit changes. It should however be noted that in all instances, a very clear and substantial majority supported Remits. I have said previously we must accept some change, and understand the changing nature of our membership.

The RSA simply must live on as the custodian of the responsibility to protect and enhance the position of veterans and their families; to protect the memorial and commemorative responsibilities of the nation, and above all else, to continue the work of those who have gone before us. These are responsibilities that simply cannot be passed to, and left in the hands of bureaucrats. Without a strong RSA to fight, to engage, and advise, we would quickly see the erosion of all things we hold dear. Veterans should hold a special place in the fabric of our nation, and we all are aware of the dangers if we simply let the RSA fade away. Just imagine for one moment, where we might head without a strong RSA.

As members – Returned, Service and Associate – we all have these obligations, and if change is necessary to protect them, then some changes will need to be made.

I was impressed with the preparation, the quality and the thoughtfulness of the debate at National Council. All sides of the argument were put, discussed, mulled over and then voted on. Democracy then had its way. What are required now are acceptance, commitment and contribution, to ensure that we effectively enact those changes the majority approved of. Much needs to be done over the next few years, and we should all take ownership of the process. My Presidents Address to Council touched on our achievements over the past year – and there were a healthy number, but we must continue the momentum this year.

I would comment briefly on some issues that were matters for discussion, debate and decision. Thirteen years ago the RSA introduced the Associate Membership category. This was seen at the time as a first progressive step, in a series of steps, which would ultimately result in the total integration of all categories of membership. That total integration has not yet occurred.

Today our Associate Members numbers are only a smidgen (1,000) short of reaching the point where Associate Members will represent 50% of our membership.

In the past 4 years we have seen 8,500 new Associate members join us. In fact over the past 5 years, Associate Membership has grown by close to 20,000. This is clearly an enormously significant factor in the future of the RSA.

Associate Members bring not only youth and enthusiasm to our organisation, but they bring considerable contemporary talent.

It is now 60 years since the end of WW11, and we entered the Vietnam conflict 40 years ago. There is an absolute inevitability that the torch of leadership will need to be passed on to our younger members – the majority of whom will be Associate Members in the near future.

We need to allow Associate Members the opportunity to utilise their talent, and show their real connection to the RSA and its objectives, by allowing them to participate fully in the future leadership of the RSA.

The inevitability of a rapidly reducing membership pool of able and willing older veterans for leadership roles is clear and evident in every RSA in the country. We will continue to maintain the distinction between our categories of Membership – Returned, Service and Associate – but we must move forward to include our full membership in our leadership needs.

2006

Next year will be a very significant and signal year for the RSA and its members. It will be a big year indeed, and your involvement is essential.

At the behest (challenge might be a better word) and invitation of RNZRSA, the current Government has declared that next year, 2006, will be The Year of the Veteran. The National Party also stated that if elected they would also recognise next year as the Year of the Veteran.

This was a significant success for RNZRSA – it was our initiative. This was not in the minds of our politicians or the bureaucrats until RNZRSA proposed it. Much more will be said and communicated about the importance, the structure, the meaning and the shape of the Year of The Veteran over the next several months. The Year of the Veteran coinciding with our own 90th Anniversary and the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, provides very significant opportunities for us to highlight the role and place of the RSA within our nation.

Together these three events will allow the RSA to show the nation that it is flourishing, carrying on with the job and still is a body of significant national importance.

A point that we should all note is that RNZRSA will die in the trenches if we see that the Year of the Veteran simply becomes an ego trip for bureaucrats. We will require that it has real meaning, and that we, the RSA will be a major stakeholder in the planning and activities - and that above all, that we will be fully involved in the total process

The RNZRSA 10 Point Veterans Welfare Manifesto

That our recently published 10 Point Welfare Manifesto had impact can be seen by the various political parties’ announcements on their Veterans Affairs Policies. Some statements are made in this Review, as to those policies. We had a positive response to our publishing the Manifesto. We must continue now to press the new Government for action on these issues, and to press them to follow through on their statements and commitments.

Finally. We have some hard yards ahead of us to maintain our membership at our current levels. We must all contribute and participate in the activities of our local Associations in whatever way we can. Leaving the hard work to the willing few is not the way of the RSA. We are all members because we believe in what our organisation stands for – so stand up and participate and contribute.