1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: Now you may have seen it was reported in the 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: Northern Territory News earlier in the week that the Darwen 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:09,039 Speaker 1: RSL sub branch has bought a prime CBD office building 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: as it continues to bounce back from the devastating twenty 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: eighteen fire that will totally destroyed the social club and offices. 6 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: So weeks after announcing that the Veterans Group had bought 7 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: Admiralty House on the espnatas a new home for their 8 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 1: Services Club, the RSL have revealed that they've finalized the 9 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: purchase of a new administrative headquarters and consultation suites in 10 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: Edmond Street. Now joining me on the line is Paul Winter, 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: Darwen Services Club Chairman and the RSL Treasurer. 12 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 2: Good morning to. 13 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 3: You, Paul, morning Katie. How are you yeah? 14 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 2: Really good? Great to have you on the show now. 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: Paul, we have had years of not much happening since 16 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: the former RSL burnt down. Talk me through the plans 17 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: for the new facilities. 18 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 3: Oh well as most listeners and Darwen nights would know. 19 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 3: So twenty eighteen the RSL of Darwin burnt down on 20 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 3: Kavanagh Street. It housed both the RSL and the Social 21 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 3: Club and so nothing happened for well essentially six years, 22 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 3: not even a sign in Darwin saying RSL, and even 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 3: in small country towns it's one of those. So the 24 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 3: new committee, which is now been involved by younger committee members, 25 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 3: six of whom are contemporary guys, contemporary service members, have 26 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 3: decided and are trying to push forward a new approach 27 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,199 Speaker 3: within the Darwen RSL to get it up and running again, 28 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 3: get our name forward, let people know we're back up 29 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 3: and running by purchasing of these new properties and us 30 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 3: get us back on the map. 31 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: Look, I think this is really great storm. You know, 32 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: any other location really that you go to around Australia, 33 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: so many of them have an RSL. They have somewhere 34 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 1: where you can go and have a meal, you can 35 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: go and you know, sit down with your family. Maybe 36 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: you've got a family member who has served and it's 37 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: and it's a place where you can gather and you know, 38 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: and and just sort of pay your respects as well 39 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: to those servicemen and women both past and present, but 40 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: also like it's it's somewhere where you can just go 41 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: and enjoy yourself. 42 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 3: One hundred percent right. The job of the RSL is 43 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 3: obviously to support serving and ex serving personnel, regardless of 44 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 3: the service you did. If you're a serviceman, then you 45 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: get support from the RSL proper. So that's that's our 46 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 3: intent in terms of the administry, purchase and an office 47 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: there to support advocacy and administration of the RSL it self. 48 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 3: The property on the Esperanade is there solely to have 49 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 3: the as you just mentioned then, is have the fun. Yeah, 50 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 3: come in and talk with your mates over a beer 51 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 3: and look at the location on the Esperanade and what 52 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 3: near the opposite us is the Senator So Anti Day 53 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 3: is the perfect location for Yeah, Dalances. 54 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,839 Speaker 2: Club, it really is. 55 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: Now, tell me, Paul, how soon are you expecting the 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: work to get underway and how soon might you be 57 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: able to, you know, to have these two locations operational. 58 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 3: Well, the first one's real easy. That's Edmond Street. It's 59 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 3: already an operating office. We just got to go in 60 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 3: there and tidy up some paint. Maybe a new carpet 61 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: place are starting there, So I'm expecting that one. So 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 3: it settles mid September and we should be operating within 63 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 3: a month of that. So we'll just move all our 64 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 3: stuff out of a little office that we currently have 65 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 3: in Smith Street and then start operating proper. It's just 66 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 3: a nice sign everyone knows where we are. The other 67 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 3: one's more difficult. It's got quite a lot of work 68 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 3: to be done to it. Terroritish lists, we've got to 69 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 3: get approvals, there's planning decisions, engineering and so forth. But 70 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 3: the intent there would be operating by one February. It 71 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 3: would have been ideal to be operating on eleven November day, 72 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 3: and then a second date would have been twenty one 73 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 3: in December, which is this commemoration for the fiftieth anniversary 74 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 3: of Cyclone Tracy, which the headquarters for the rebuild of 75 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 3: Darwin was out of the old abblithe House. Historically, we've 76 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 3: really stepped into a really good purchase. 77 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, you certainly have, and you know, I would imagine 78 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: that there's a lot of people that are probably wanting 79 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: to maybe rejoin as well. 80 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 3: Well. That's a really good point. In the last week, 81 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 3: some of our committee guys have really stepped up, gone 82 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 3: personally and physically to the military establishments around Darwen. As 83 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 3: you know, with the largest military garrison in Australia and 84 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 3: we don't have much of a membership base. When the 85 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 3: old Darlin RSL Incorporated, which is the social club, was 86 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: operating from Cavanah Street. It had a membership of two thousand. 87 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 3: Obviously you've burnt down, so none was going to join. 88 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 3: So in the last two to three weeks we've had 89 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 3: over one hundred members, which is quite astounding, and it's 90 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 3: growing every single day. We get new membership applications because 91 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 3: they understand that they're not there just to become a 92 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 3: member and enjoy themselves, that they're actually there to support themselves, 93 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 3: particularly the membership of the military guys. 94 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: Paul. 95 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: I don't want to get into you to like a. 96 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 1: Slanging match or anything, but do you think people are 97 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: getting a bit for one of a better word pieced 98 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: off at how long it was taking to sort things 99 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: out and find a new site. 100 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 3: I don't blame them. There was obviously a period after 101 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 3: the fire that it took for the insurance plan to 102 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,679 Speaker 3: come through, and then there was a period there where 103 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 3: the decisions within the committee were should we rebuild or 104 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 3: should we sell and move on? Now economically, it just 105 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 3: didn't make any sense to actually rebuild it for the 106 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 3: insurance payout amount, which is insufficient to do a replication 107 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 3: of what was there, so logic would play it that 108 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 3: we'd buy other established buildings. Cost of construction is way 109 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 3: too high anymore. And I agree with anybody that is 110 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 3: to coin your phrase there pissed off. I agree with them, 111 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 3: and I think they've got every right to be. But 112 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 3: give us a little bit of a bit of time, 113 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 3: pay us some bit of respect and wait wait for 114 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 3: the outcome, because they're coming now. 115 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: It does sound like you're doing your best as well 116 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: with your plans to recruit members. 117 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,239 Speaker 2: How many are you hoping to sort of to recruit. 118 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 3: Another contentious question. We are a good one. So we've 119 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 3: got approximately two hundred now to fifty probably in the 120 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 3: range with the new recruits. We need six hundred to 121 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 3: become a state branch of our own. At the moment, 122 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 3: we are subservient to South Australia. We're a sub branch 123 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 3: of South Australia, one of their eighty. They support our 124 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 3: break free and becoming a state branch, so we need 125 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 3: We've been advised by RSL National that we need six 126 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 3: hundred as a minimum, and I think we'll probably achieve 127 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 3: that before the end of this year. With their support. 128 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 3: The new state branch could be raised within two years. 129 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 3: It'll be the first state branch in over one hundred years. 130 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: Well, mate, I'm already getting messages. Hi, Katie, could you 131 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: please ask the RSL person if they're able to provide 132 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: a phone number and email address. 133 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: I want to. 134 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: There's numerous service personnel who want to rejoin the RSL, 135 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: but they're not sure how to get in contact. That's 136 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: one of the messages, and other ones just come through 137 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: saying Katie, how do I rejoin the RSL? Is there 138 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: a web page? There's somebody else asking how do I rejoin? 139 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: So there's definitely a bit of interest out there. 140 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 3: Excellent. Well, the simplest way is without me giving a 141 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 3: phone number over the line and no one will be 142 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 3: able to write it down anyway, is jump on the website. 143 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 3: On the front page of the darn RSL website is 144 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 3: a button click here to become a member and it's 145 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 3: as simple as that online. Awesome if you're a serving member, 146 00:08:58,160 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 3: it's free. 147 00:08:58,840 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: Yep. 148 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 2: Some stuff. 149 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: Well, Paul Winter, really good to speak with you this morning. 150 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: Please keep us up to date with how everything progresses. 151 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: I reckon people are going to be super keen and 152 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: I know that we do have you know, a lot 153 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 1: of current serving members that listen to the show also 154 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: ex servicemen and women, So do keep us up to date. 155 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: Will be keen to let people know how it's all tracking. 156 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: But thank you so much for your time this morning. 157 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 3: Ah are you welcome, Katie, And thanks for the support 158 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 3: by the way, it's enlightening. 159 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: No worries, Adam, you want some support us as well, Yeah, 160 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 2: no worries at all. 161 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: And look, like I said, I think that a lot 162 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: of people really want to see the RSL back up 163 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: and running. They want to be able to, you know, 164 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: to get into the RSL. I was saying to you 165 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: off air yesterday. It's you know, whenever I head to Cans, 166 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: it's one of the things that I do. We just 167 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 1: go to the RSL and have dinner, have a feed 168 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: and it's a good thing to be. 169 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 2: Able to do. 170 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: So I hope that we're in a situation where we 171 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: can do that in Darwin again pretty soon. Lovely good stuff, 172 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: Good on you, thank you. That is Paul Winter there, 173 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: he is indeed the Darwin Services Club chairman and RSL treasurer. 174 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: And yeah, I've got a few people getting in contact 175 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: to it. Just keen to rejoin and I've got. Well, 176 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,079 Speaker 1: what you can do is you can head to their website. 177 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: You can obviously jump online and head to their website. 178 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: You'll be able to just then join. Basically, it's pretty easy. 179 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: By the sounds of it. I haven't had to crack 180 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: myself Bush. It does sound as though it's going to 181 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: be pretty easy to do. Again, other people going, Katie, 182 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: how can I join the RSL? Where's the webpage? So look, 183 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: I'll go and try and have a little look myself 184 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: and then let you know just how fast you can 185 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:43,839 Speaker 1: do it. I'm sure it's going to be something that 186 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: you can do really, very easily.