Association Update September 2023
Tēnā koe <<First Name>>,
A message from the Board Chair Major General (Retired) Martyn Dunne, CNZM, QSO
 This month I have visited three District meetings, Canterbury, Nelson Marlborough West Coast and Wellington and presented to the Waikato District on RSA 2030 - the strategy for the future of the RSA.
I would like to thank all those that have attended and participated in robust and insightful discussion.
The highlights of these conversations for me have been:
- The confirmation that our purpose must remain focused on Veterans and the strategic pillars of Remembrance, Support and Advocacy
- The positive way RSA have embraced the concepts for RSA 2030, and
- The commitment across the districts to protect equity held by RSA either locally or in the community for the next generation of veterans.
Each time I speak to a District on the future of the RSA, new insight is provided to me from the discussions we have, and we are continually adapting the presentation to capture these new ideas. Once I have had the chance to engage all Districts and incorporate their insights, a summary of the presentation will be provided to District Presidents to share with you all.
In the meantime, I am very much looking forward to briefing the Northland District in early October and Southland District in Gore on the 2nd of December.
It necessarily takes time to get around the country and deliver this kind of information in person. For those who have not yet had the opportunity to attend a presentation, below are a few frequently asked questions regarding RSA 2030 to provide you with a general understanding of what is being presented. I am looking forward to discussing these ideas with many of you in the coming weeks and months.
What is RSA 2030?
Following the workshop held during National Council 2022, a series of interactions between the Forum and Board were undertaken to discuss options for ensuring the RSA could continue to meet the current challenges and ensure our survival for future generations of veterans.
At its heart RSA 2030 is about ensuring:
- Where possible, we have profitable businesses supporting our core pillars of Remembrance, Support and Advocacy
- We can provide a range of options to engage with veterans and our communities – including veteran support centres, traditional RSA clubs and virtual RSAs (i.e. Online/ Cambridge models)
- We are able to protect local RSA heritage for the present and future generation of veterans
- We are an RSA that is working together across the country
- We are a strong, relevant and unified voice advocating on veteran issues
What’s wrong with the way things are?
As an organisation we are facing:
- declining membership across all categories,
- a number of businesses with failing financial viability,
- a loss of relevance and reputation as a viable national organisation,
- a changing demographic with limited interest in the activities of RSAs around the country.
Isn’t this just about the RNZRSA taking our equity?
This is absolutely untrue. The priority will be to keep the equity available for the support of veterans in the local community.
If it is ultimately determined that an asset should be sold to avoid insolvency, in the first instance funds should be managed locally for the support of veterans, this could be by way of an investment portfolio or an alternative more sustainable business. This is already occurring in some locations and is proving a workable alternate model. What we are concerned about at a National level are instances where assets are divested for purposes unrelated to the core purpose of the RSA movement.
The National Poppy Trust provides an option for funds when there is nowhere else for money to go and local district arrangements cannot be agreed. This would only be considered subject to the agreement of all and with continuing local determination on expenditure of the invested funds.
What new models are being looked at for the future of the RSA and how is this related to the constitution?
No decisions have been made, and at the present time a joint Board and Forum working group are looking at potential models for the future of the organisation. These will be widely consulted on at RSA level once they have been developed.
The likely design of a new structure might enable Veteran Support Centres, or some similar construct, that allows for face-to-face support for veterans and their dependents regardless of their affiliation with an RSA.
The current trial of a veteran employment service, agreed with MSD, has demonstrated the value of face-to-face engagement with veterans. The outcome has exceeded our expectations. Some 171 veterans have registered, 18 provided employment and 61 businesses signed up as supporters.
At the one-day National Council being held in February 2024 we hope to present and discuss potential options that focus on the constitution. The eventual outcome will for you to determine.
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In this edition:
- National Council
- Official Portraits of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty the Queen
- New Facebook Group for Association Executives-
- Remembrance Day Commemorations
- Vietnam Veterans' Day
- Merchant Navy Commemoration
- Association Spotlight - Geraldine RSA
- National Support Services Calendar
- Limited Edition Remembrance Day range
- Upcoming Events
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National Council
The event traditionally known as National Council will now be conducted in two parts due to the cost in both financial and personnel terms.
Part One is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which will be held online on Saturday 25 November. The AGM is a legislative requirement and will cover:
- reports from the National President, the Board Chair and the Chief Executive
- 2022/23 Audited Accounts
- remits
Part Two is a one-day in-person National Council workshop being held on Saturday 24 February 2024 in Wellington.
A page has been developed for the AGM and National Council on the RSA's website and will be updated as more information becomes available. It currently contains instructions for registration, submitting notices of motion and proxy voting alongside other information. You can find the National Council page here
Key dates to note:
28 September – Registrations for Online AGM open
7 October – closing date for Notices of Motion to be submitted to National Office
28 October – Proxy Representative Forms must be submitted to National Office
28 October – Registration for Online AGM closes
4 November – AGM Documentation issued (Agenda, minutes from previous AGM, Financial Report, Notices of Motion
25 November – Online AGM
1 December – Registrations for National Council Workshop open
31 January – Registrations for National Council Workshop close
24 February – National Council Workshop (Wellington)
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Official Portraits of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen
Official photographs of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen have been released in the United Kingdom. However, the official New Zealand portrait of His Majesty has yet to be approved and released. Once it has been received by Government House, it will be available for download from the Governor General's website.
Associations will be able to download portraits for printing from the link below once it is available.
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New Facebook Group for Association Executives
A new Facebook group has been created as an additional means of improving information flow from National Office to Association Executives, and to provide a safe forum for Association Executives to seek support and advice from each other.
The group will also be used as one of the means to issue emergency communications when needed.
Membership of the group is restricted to Association Executives, and those joining the group will be required to provide their name, RSA affiliation and position on the executive to ensure the integrity of the group is maintained.
Membership does require individuals to have an existing Facebook profile to join.
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Remembrance Day Commemorations
There are often requests from NZDF and Diplomatic Officials for where they can attend Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday Commemorations in their local communities.
Associations are asked to provide the details of planned commemorations for either Remembrance Day (11 November) or Remembrance Sunday (12 November) by completing the relevant survey below.
This information will be provided to enquiring NZDF and Diplomatic officials, and where your commemorations are open to the public, will be included on the RSA's website.
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Vietnam Veterans' Day
On Friday 18 August, a commemoration was held at the National War Memorial at Pukeahu to mark Vietnam Veterans' Day.
The RNZRSA's National Vice-President RADM (Retd) Jack Steer, ONZM laid a wreath on behalf of the RNZRSA during the commemoration.
Every year on 18 August, New Zealand honours those who fell in the Vietnam War, those who came home forever changed by their experiences, and those who remained in New Zealand in steadfast support of their loved ones.
The Vietnam War lasted from 1960 to 1975. By the conclusion of the conflict, more than 3000 New Zealand military personnel had served in South Vietnam. 39 New Zealanders lost their lives during the conflict.
A number of RSA's around the country also held their own commemorations to honour our Vietnam Veterans.
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Merchant Navy Commemoration
On Sunday 3 September, a commemoration was held at the National War Memorial at Pukeahu to honour the service and sacrifices made by members of New Zealand's Merchant Navy.
The RNZRSA was represented by Wellington District President Tom Cormack who laid a wreath during the ceremony.
Several thousand New Zealanders served in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. These civilian volunteers sailed the ships that delivered troops, military equipment and vital cargoes of food, fuel and raw materials across the world's oceans.
The commemoration honoured all who have served in the Merchant Navy, and remembered the 140 who never made it home.
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Association Spotlight
Geraldine RSA
This year's edition of the Geraldine RSA's AGM was a little bit special with eight awards being presented to members.
National Vice-President Jack Steer was on-hand to make the presentations which included the award of a Merit Badge and Gold Star to current Geraldine Vice-President and Past-President Campbell Paton.
The award recipients were happy to pose for a quick photo with the National Vice-President and District President following the presentations. Pictured below are (from L-R):
Neill Price (Canterbury District President), Campbell Paton (Recipient Merit Badge and Certificate, Gold Star and Certificate), Jack Steer (National Vice-President), John Bray (Geraldine RSA President), Peter Robinson (Recipient Life Member Badge and Certificate), John Cockayne (Recipient Life Member Badge and Certificate), John Twidle (Recipient Certificate of Appreciation), Euan Kay (Recipient Life Member Badge and Certificate), Bruce Kenyon (Recipient Certificate of Appreciation), James Goodman (Recipient Life Member Badge and Certificate).
Unfortunately missing from the photo was Richard Rowley who received a Certificate of Appreciation.
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Is there something happening in your Association that you'd like to share? Send the story and some photos through to media@rsa.org.nz to be considered for the next Association Spotlight.
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National Support Services Calendar
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19 - 20 Sept
14 - 15 October 2023
28 - 29 October
29 November
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Defence House and Trentham Wellness Expo - Wellington
Defence House: Tuesday 19 September 2023 10am – 2pm
Trentham: Camp Gym Wednesday 20 September 2023 10am – 2pm
NZDF internal services and the external agencies attending the Expos promote positive choice and support physical, emotional, social and family, cultural and spiritual wellbeing, alongside career success and transition, further education, and financial wellbeing. The Expos are open to all NZDF military and civilian personnel and their families.
Level One Support Advisors Induction Course - Wellington
A practical training course in the role and conduct of a Support Advisor giving frontline support to an individual seeking support for conditions related to their service.
This course is for those Local Support Advisors who have not done the course before for sign off as part of the training framework for support.
As a pre-requisite to be eligible for the course, nominees are to have read the Support Services Book One, completed the Support Advisor pre-requisites of reading and signing the code of ethics, completing the Privacy Commissioner's Privacy ABC E-learning course, and police vetting.
Level One Support Advisors Induction Course - Auckland
A practical training course in the role and conduct of a Support Advisor giving frontline support to an individual seeking support for conditions related to their service.
This course is for those Local Support Advisors who have not done the course before for sign off as part of the training framework for support.
As a pre-requisite to be eligible for the course, nominees are to have read the Support Services Book One, completed the Support Advisor pre-requisites of reading and signing the code of ethics, completing the Privacy Commissioner's Privacy ABC E-learning course, and police vetting.
Veterans' Affairs Forum - Auckland
The Ranfurly Veterans’ Trust and Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand are hosting a face-to-face veterans’ forum in Henderson, Auckland.
The Auckland Veterans’ Forum is open to anyone who has served in the New Zealand Defence Force and their whānau.
Venue: The Trusts Arena Stadium, 65-67 Central Park Drive, Henderson, Auckland
When: Wednesday 29th November 10.00am-2.00pm
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Limited Edition Remembrance Day Range
Two new ranges are now available for a limited time in the RSA's webstore, with delivery in time to commemorate Remembrance Day.
The Poppy Cluster range features the RSA heart filled with poppies, while the Heartwarming range is a bolder and brighter way to show your support. Both ranges feature the words "We will remember them" and for the first time include the option of a Jute shopping bag.
Show your support for New Zealand's veterans of military service and their whānau on a National Day of Commemoration, and with 25% of the sale price coming back to the RSA, it also helps us continue to deliver support services around the country.
Both ranges can be ordered during the pre-sale period which runs until 3 October, with delivery from 3 November.
If you would like a flier to advertise the range to visitors you can download it here.
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