National RSL president Robert Dick has sent a blistering email to his NSW counterpart, John Haines, demanding he and the rest of the state council stand down immediately or face fresh charges of bringing the league into disrepute. Mr Haines and the remaining members of the state council – some have already resigned – have previously promised to stand aside pending investigations into the financial scandals that have dogged the NSW branch for eight months. The state branch said in a March statement that during an inquiry into possible credit card abuse and unexplained “consulting fees” paid to some councillors, the council had “stood aside and delegated its oversight authority of RSL NSW to a Caretaker Management Committee”. But correspondence makes it clear that Mr Haines and other councillors are still running the organisation. An email sent by councillor Bob Metcalfe to some RSL sub-branches warns that the national RSL is trying to take over NSW. “Be very careful what you support. We are your elected councillors and retain control even though we have stood down,” it states.
