Change is rarely comfortable, but it is often necessary.

Right now, our veteran community is navigating more of it than at any point in recent memory.

From today, 1 July 2026, the new VETS Act comes into effect. This is landmark legislation, and while there is much to welcome, the real test begins now: in implementation, in accountability, and in whether the intent translates into genuine outcomes for veterans and their families.

The establishment of the new Veteran and Families Wellbeing Agency is a significant structural reform, and I am encouraged by the appointment of Brendan Cox to lead it. Brendan brings credibility and commitment to the role, and we will work constructively alongside him and the Agency.

But let me be clear: RSL Australia will be watching closely, and where government falls short of its commitments, we will say so. Our job is not to applaud announcements; it is to hold the line for veterans.

On the Budget, we have serious concerns. The proposed $5,000 cap on allied health services for veterans (effective from 1 July 2027) is a backward step that we believe will cause real harm. We are not accepting this quietly. Read further to find out what we’re doing about it.

The strength of RSL is the breadth of it; 153,000+ members, 1100 sub-branches in every corner of this country, and a network of people who understand, from lived experience, what service costs and what it is worth. None of this work is done alone.

Times of change are easier when we face them together. That is what we do.

Cheers,

Pete

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We are fighting against the $5,000 allied health services cap. And we need your help!

The Federal Government's 2026–27 Budget included an announcement that from 1 July 2027, veterans' access to allied health services will be capped at $5,000 per year. We believe this is the wrong decision, and we are not accepting it.

Support our campaign to Scrap the Cap!: rslaustralia.org/your-voice

Allied health services [physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, podiatry] are not a luxury for many veterans, they are essential. A cap of this nature has the potential to force veterans to reduce or cease treatment, with serious consequences for their health and wellbeing.

Here is what we are doing about it:

• We are galvanising our ESO partners to join us in the Scrap The Cap! campaign. Presenting a unified voice to government gives puts us in a stronger position. #BetterTogether

• We have a dedicated campaign page and petition against the cap: rslaustralia.org/allied-health-cap

• We are collecting veteran stories to put a human face on the numbers

• We are engaging directly with Ministers, the Opposition and Members of Parliament to put a stop to this.

This is your campaign too. Sign the petition. Share your story. The government needs to hear the impact in veterans' own words.

I am proud to recognise and congratulate Lieutenant Colonel George Hulse OAM as the recipient of the 2026 RSL Anzac Peace Prize.

A Vietnam veteran and former Army Engineer, George's post-service contribution to Australia's collective memory has been extraordinary, and almost entirely out of the public eye. That is exactly the kind of service we want to honour.

As President of the Toowong RSL Sub-Branch, George championed the recognition of forgotten servicemen buried at Toowong Cemetery and was instrumental in advocating for Vietnam War veterans to receive long-overdue recognition for their service. His sustained research and advocacy were crucial to Private Richard Norden being awarded the Victoria Cross in 2025.

George's centrepiece achievement, and the basis for this award, is his leadership in gifting a Bailey Bridge to France as a permanent memorial to the Australian-French alliance forged during the First World War. The Bridge of Friendship ceremony in Amiens on 24 April 2024 was the result of years of diplomatic work, fundraising, and sheer determination. It stands today as a symbol of peace, remembrance, and the enduring bond between our nations.

Congratulations, George. Your service continues to matter.

Do you know a veteran contributing in ways that never make the news?

George's story is one of thousands. RSL Australia's #StillServing campaign exists to find and tell them. NOMINATE A VETERAN

I want to hear directly from you.

This short survey will help me understand what matters most to you, how you want to engage, and where you believe RSL Australia can do better.

Your responses will be used to shape RSL Australia’s advocacy with government and inform how we grow and communicate as an organisation.

The Veteran & Family Wellbeing Agency

From today, 1 July 2026, the new Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency is in operation. It has a mandate to deliver a more integrated, veteran-centred approach to support services, including a 'no wrong door' policy designed to ensure no veteran falls through the cracks.

The intent is right. The transition will take time.

We will engage with the new agency and continue to monitor outcomes, particularly for veterans in regional areas, those with complex claims, and older veterans navigating aged care.

Find out more about the reform and what it means for you: Veteran Support System Reform. We will keep you updated as the agency beds in.

Support Our Forces Overseas

I am asking you to consider donating to the Australian Forces Overseas Fund.
$25 is all it takes.

Twice a year, RSL Australia with the assistance of volunteers from RSL sub-branches, prepare hundreds of care packages for members of the ADF and the Australian Federal Police who are deployed overseas on military operations. The packages contain various items to remind personnel of home. 

It's an enormous undertaking, only made possible by donations and the volunteers who come together to pack the care packages at the 39 OSB Randwick Barracks in Sydney.

Every dollar makes a difference. DONATE TODAY

Getting out, getting amongst it.

One of the privileges of as National President is the opportunity to travel the country and meet the people who make the RSL what it is:  sub-branch members, volunteers, and supporters doing extraordinary work with genuine heart. Congress season is well underway, and here is a snapshot from the states.

Tasmania
In the first half of 2026, RSL Tasmania and VeteranHub supported 588 active clients, with staff and volunteers travelling more than 34,500 kilometres to reach veterans across the state, while 1,129 people participated in Social Connections activities from George Town to St Helens. With the highest proportion of veterans per capita of any Australian state, Tasmania is a model for what on-the-ground service looks like.

Queensland
With more than 270 delegates attending, RSL Queensland’s scale was on full display: over 5,000 DVA claims lodged, and more than 633,000 volunteer hours contributed in the past year alone. Congratulations to LTCOL George Hulse OAM on receiving the 2026 Anzac Peace Prize, and to the 2026 ANZAC of the Year Award recipients Doug Henderson OAM and Tony Stevenson OAM. We warmly congratulate Cherisa Pearce on her election as incoming State Deputy President and thank Wendy Taylor for her 12 years of service.

South Australia
It was great to see Her Excellency the Governor of South Australia Frances Adamson AC addressing delegates, and Michael Sherlock BM receive the ANZAC of the Year award. I was also fortunate enough to engage delegates in an open forum session, rounding out a strong and engaged Congress.

Western Australia
RSL WA marked a milestone with its 110th State Congress at ANZAC House in Perth. Federal Minister for Veterans' Affairs Matt Keogh joined delegates as a guest speaker, together with Paul Papalia CSC MLA, WA Minister for Defence Industries and Veterans, who also received Life Membership of RSL WA.

Victoria and New South Wales Congresses will be held in July and October respectively. I’ll share more on these in future newsletters.

To every RSL member I have met along the way: thank you. You are the RSL.

14 May - Clarity From Government needed On Allied Health Cap For Veterans

29 May - Don't Leave Our Firefighters Behind: Government Must Extend $2 Billion 3M Action To Cover Veterans Poisoned By PFAS

6 June - D-Day Landings (1944)

6 June - 110th Anniversary of RSL (1916)

10 June - Battle of Shah Wali Kot (2010)

12 June - Black Hawk Helicopter Tragedy (1996)

18 June - Malayan Emergency (1948)