By Abbey Cannan
Membership suspensions, a social media ’smear campaign’, and the Diggers Bar potentially closing down has the Tewantin Noosa RSL Club and Sub Branch members hoping to soon come to a resolution in an ongoing dispute.
The Tewantin Noosa RSL and Citizens Memorial Club was formed by the Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch in 1981, and had its roots in the area currently known as the Diggers Bar.
But in 2024, the lease on the bar is set to expire, and a spokesperson for the Tewantin Noosa RSL said the Club was “denied the opportunity to exercise the option to renew or to consider a new lease, therefore cannot operate the Diggers Bar without a lease.“
Tewantin Noosa RSL general manager Michael Sue See sent out a member notice on Friday 2 February to provide clarity and transparency regarding recent “concerns and misinformation circulating regarding the closure of the Diggers Bar“.
Michael said that the Sub Branch president suggested a possible 46 per cent increase in rent in discussions regarding a new lease that they were yet to receive.
Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch secretary Kelli Ware said in 2021, when the Club reopened post-Covid, the Sub Branch agreed to a substantial reduction in rent for a period of three years.
“In 2024 the Sub Branch indicated that they would offer a new lease on The Diggers Bar for a cost of $104K pa plus GST which is a figure derived from the $90K plus five per cent every three years agreement,“ Kelli said.
“The lease was to be drawn up by our lawyers as none of our volunteer are qualified to produce such a document.“
She said Commercial Real Estate Agents advised the Sub Branch that the current commercial rate was substantially higher than the $104K they are asking, but the Sub Branch Board agreed to honour the original agreement dating back to 2015.
“The Club asked that we issue them with a new lease by 27 January 2024. This request was received on 24 January 2024. We advised the Club that our lawyers were not back in the office until 30 January, apologised for the delay and advised that the new figure would be in line with the previous agreement dating back to 2015,“ Kelli said.
“On 31 January, the Club advised that they would be closing the Digger’s Bar as we had not presented them with a new lease… If they truly wanted to continue leasing the Diggers Bar they would have allowed for the delays we advised and continued negotiating a new lease.“
The Tewantin Noosa RSL Sub Branch is run by a small group of volunteers who are dedicated to providing support and well being to returned service personnel.
“We are a not for profit organisation, wholly and solely here to support veterans. We don’t want to run a bar, a TAB or the Pokies. We want to spend our valuable time working for the betterment of our members,“ Kelli said.
Tewantin RSL Sub Branch member and former welfare officer, Eric Dodds said the RSL and Diggers Bar was an important place for veterans to interact with each other.
“The closure of the Diggers Bar and the membership suspensions will have a huge impact on veterans in our community,“ Eric said.
A Tewantin RSL Club spokesperson said recently the Sub Branch Board has taken a “hostile stance towards the Club and has been actively running a smear campaign on social media and encouraging its members to join in their fight against the Club.“
“The Club is not aware of the motivation for this, but has taken action to suspend additional support as a result, until such time an amical resolution between both parties can be found.“
“The Club has expressed on a number of occasions its willingness to meet with the Sub Branch in an effort to finding a resolution to the current situation, expressing its wish to foster a positive and productive relationship between both parties.
“This offer is now being made publicly to the Sub Branch Board to consider reconciling for the benefit of both members and our community.“
