The price of liberty is eternal vigilance

Welfare and Hospital Visitation

Sub-Branch Administration (The Sub-Branch Hall and Office is open most Thursdays between 0930 and 1300)

Sub-Branch membership Dues remain at $35 and are due on the 1st January each year and are payable NLT 30th March to remain Financial

Commemorative Services

Member Social Functions

RSL/Bunnings BBQ Fundraisers

Bunnings have  re-commenced Community BBQs' and our next fundraising BBQ's at Bunnings Cessnock will be on                                            8am to 4pm.  Volunteers to assist most welcome.

SUB-BRANCH MEETINGS ARE NOW BACK TO ALMOST NORMAL COMMENCING AT 1830 HRS ON THE 1st TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH EXCEPT JANUARY.  SUB-BRANCH EXECUTIVE MEMBERS ARE NOW BACK AT THE HALL EVERY THURSDAY  BETWEEN 0930 AND 1300  SHOULD MEMBERS AND LOCAL VETERANS WISH TO DROP IN FOR A CHAT AND A COFFEE.

COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS

A COVID-19 Safety plan is now in place at the RSL Hall. Seating has been arranged to meet the current social distancing requirements  and sanitising equipment is in place at the entrance and throughout the hall. To meet the record  keeping requirements, the sign-in sheet has been modified to comply with the Covid 19 compliance instructions. The co-operation of members in complying with these measures is appreciated.

Next Sub-Branch meeting 6.30pm Tuesday 2nd February 2021. This will be the first meeting of the new year and hopefully in a less restrictive operating climate.

MEMBERS DINNERS

Our members Dinners for this year are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday 10th March 2021 6.30pm for 7pm at Cessnock Leagues Club

Wednesday 14 July 2021 12pm for 12.30pm at the Caledonia Hotel

Wednesday 8th December 2021 6.30pm of 7pm at the Cessnock Leagues Club

Quarterly Sub-Branch Newsletter

The latest newsletter is now available for download.

TO ACCESS THE LATEST RSL NSW BOARD COMMUNIQUE CLICK ON THE ACTION BUTTON,                                    

ANZAC House Circular

Circular         number:
Date:
Email:
Phone number:
To: 

C35/20
       17 December 2020
support@rslnsw.org.au
       1300 679 775
       Directors, District Councils, Honorary Secretaries 

Dear         Honorary Secretary,
 

       A letter addressed to all RSL NSW members has been received from the         Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC), in response         to RSL NSW annual reporting against its Enforceable Undertaking obligations.         Please click on this link to read the letter.
 

       The RSL NSW Board of Directors request that sub-Branch Presidents brief         all        members on the letter and confirm to their respective District Council         by 15 March 2021 that this has been completed.
 

       The letter draws attention to sub-Branch obligations as a charity and         suggests some reading and other materials to support         compliance. The RSL NSW Board is very aware of the onerous         compliance requirements of the ACNC and NSW Fundraising Acts and         therefore, under the ‘umbrella’ of the Strategic Plan, intends to         ensure all sub-Branch executives receive appropriate support and         assistance in discharging their responsibilities.
 

Membership         Fees
 

       The Board has received considerable feedback about the decision to         cease the practice of sub-Branches subsidising members’ annual         fees. An interim policy has been approved to direct sub-Branches         in meeting their obligations if they need to support members in         financial distress.
 

Interim Policy
 

       Sub-Branches may subsidise RSL NSW membership fees if it is for a         service member (veteran) who is in “genuine need of financial assistance”.         As sub-Branches are registered charities, they need to record the         subsidy as a charitable donation to a veteran in need to meet their         compliance obligations.
 

Definition of         “genuine need”
 

       At the discretion of the sub-Branch executive, a veteran is deemed in         ‘genuine need’ of financial assistance if he/she is not in a financial         position to pay their annual membership fees. This could, but is         not limited to the following circumstances:

• They have a low fixed              income i.e. pension or low fixed-income retiree
• They rely on income              support, i.e. Centrelink payments

Background and Implementation
 

        This issue has arisen for two reasons: 

1. A member of a charity              cannot be provided with financial benefit by virtue of their              membership. However, in the case of RSL NSW, supporting veterans              and their families is the charitable purpose. Therefore, if              the member is a veteran and in need of financial assistance              financial support can be provided from charitable funds. It is              defined as ‘necessitous’ by the ACNC Act, 2012 and Charities Act              2013.
    
2. Many sub-Branches rely              on income from membership fees and local fundraising to undertake              their charitable purpose, including annual              commemorations. These sub-Branches do not have              the means to subsidise their allocated members’ fees and recognise              that the Support and Assistance fund is not for this purpose, nor              is it appropriate for ‘wealthy’ sub-Branches to subsidise              membership fees by providing direct funding.

In October 2020, the Board agreed to         an interim policy        with an accompanying procedure that will enable sub-Branches to subsidise         fees if the person is in ‘genuine         need’ and this is recorded        by the sub-Branch to meet their regulatory compliance obligations under         Section 55-5 of the ACNC Act, 2012. Procedurally, a simple record of         the decision and reason why a member has received the donation is         required.
 

       Also, in October 2020 the Board approved the RSL NSW Strategic Plan (2021-2026).         This plan considered member feedback and therefore there will be NO        membership fees from Calendar year 2022, hence the policy above is only         interim. This recognises that RSL members are volunteers who are         providing support to fellow veterans, not just to members of the RSL in         accordance with the charitable purpose.
 

       Membership fees do not necessarily mean ‘capitation’ fees, and these         are yet to be set. If the proposed funding model to support the         strategic plan and strategic initiatives is adopted, there will be no         need for capitation fees for RSL National for instance, or ANZAC         House.
 

       If sub-Branches identify veterans in serious financial hardship, the         veteran should be referred to RSL DefenceCare. RSL DefenceCare         (recipient of RSL NSW sub-Branch donations and our principal service         delivery organisation) is set up to deal with privacy and associated         compliance matters related to providing financial assistance.
 

Recording         donation for membership subsidy - Example
 

Date

Recipient

Amount

Reason

Authorised by

2           February 2021

Joe           Bloggs

$30.00

Pensioner

Treasurer

       Regards,
 

Jeff O'Brien
       GM Member Services and State Secretary

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