The RSA movement is made up of thousands of members, each having their own political views and affiliations. Because of this the RNZRSA is constitutionally non-partisan (clause 3.3 of the RNZRSA Constitution refers). This means that all member associations are also bound by this constitutional principle. As an organisation we must remain neutral when it comes to politics, neither favouring nor promoting any political party (or alliance thereof).
There have been occasions when political parties have sought the use of RSA premises for meetings and other party-related events. There is nothing wrong with this as such, however it must be managed in such a way that the RNZRSA's non-partisan stance is maintained, and its reputation is not adversely impacted. Here are some guidelines:
Party-specific activities
Should a political party seek to use an RSA's premises for any party-specific activity, they may do so on the basis that the party pays for such use through a hireage fee. Any fee charged should be the standard commercial hireage fee for the venue, and not include any form of discount which could be misconstrued and later questioned by other parties or previous/future hirers.
Ideally the party activity should be confined to a specific room or discreet part of the premises so as to:
Canvassing by political parties on RSA premises should not be allowed to take place at any time.
Meet the Candidates events
Should an Association wish to arrange a Meet the Candidates event, either for its membership or the wider community, this is perfectly acceptable. Every effort should be made to include all local candidates in this case.
Should the local community wish to use the RSA's premises for a 'Meet the Candidates' event, this is also acceptable (again, every effort should be made to ensure all local candidates are included). Whether a hireage fee is charged in these instances is for the local association to decide, however it is recommended that no fee is charged as it goes against our desire to be seen as a public spirited and benevolent part of our communities.
Other Political Events
It's impossible to anticipate every scenario, so if something crops up outside of the two scenarios above, simply use the associated principles, and you can't go too far wrong.
