Warrnambool RSL Under Threat - Premier Unmoved
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur has called on Premier Daniel Andrews to step in to assist the Warrnambool RSL, which has been forced to close indefinitely by the COVID restrictions currently in place.
Writing to Premier Daniel Andrews Mrs McArthur said: “While the struggle faced by any business is deeply regrettable, the RSL has a long and proud history, and plays a central role in the lives of veterans and the wider community. The real danger posed to its future is deeply shocking to me and to the people of Warrnambool.”
She added, “I wrote to make urgent representations on behalf of the Warrnambool RSL, which has suffered significantly during the COVID-19 outbreak to date, and now finds that the current restrictions on its operations make reopening financially unviable.”
"Having received no response to my letter in more than a week, I feel it is now appropriate to make this matter public. The RSL and so many other businesses just don't have the luxury of time, and this is yet another example of the Government's inability to understand the reality of life outside of their taxpayer-funded bubble."
The RSL has provided support services for ex-service personnel and their families since World War I, and its regional welfare services have traditionally been financed through the successful operation of the club facilities, which are open to the wider community as well as RSL members. Last year more than $1m dollars of veterans’ assistance and community benefit was provided to the local area.
Mrs McArthur later noted:
“The threat to the future of the Warrnambool RSL illustrates just how catastrophic the ongoing restrictions are. Under the ‘Third Step’ rules, indoor venues can open with a cap of just 10 people in any indoor space, with a maximum of two spaces per venue. The RSL’s capacity is 240 in normal times, and even with considerable physical distancing 75 could be admitted. Limiting the venue to 20 just doesn’t add up.”
“As I pointed out to the Premier, the RSL is not just another business, and its closure would not only be a financial disaster but would also affect local livelihoods. It is an essential provider of welfare to veterans, and a central part of the social and cultural fabric of the community.”
“I have called repeatedly for restrictions to be relaxed across Regional Victoria given the absence of corona-virus cases. Since the Premier stubbornly refuses to do this, I have asked him to do whatever he can to find a specific solution for the Warrnambool RSL.”
Please find also below, Mrs McArthur’s letter to the Premier:
13 October 2020