There is another side to some of the clubs; the big brash RSL pokie palaces only legally exist because they have an RSL Sub-branch attached to them, and the "Old and the Bold" get a lot of benefits from the relationship.
Until the Government outlawed the practice my RSL used to issue a couple/three hundred dollars of 'Club Dollars" to all the sub-branch members each year.
We also get other perks like reimbursement of membership fees.
The subsidised funeral is still a goer but I won't live to enjoy that, still, it'll be a help.

There is more than one side to the issue, still, I'd be happy to see them go

//There is another side to some of the clubs; the big brash RSL pokie palaces only legally exist because they have an RSL Sub-branch attached to them, and the "Old and the Bold" get a lot of benefits from the relationship.//

The pokie dungeon that I boycotted was a Worker's Club. The nicer club I now frequent does not have RSL in the name, it's 'The Gallipoli Legion Club'. But they recite the Ode every day, and have a better collection of military memorabilia than I've seen anywhere outside a war memorial or museum, so I figure they must be involved with the RSL in some capacity. It's only a tiny little place, but I like it.

ttbn, could use the same argument to legalize heroin use, jobs for dealers, and a few irresponsible users buggering up the pleasure of the majority.

Issy, as I have said to you before, I'm a member of several clubs, including a number of RSL's. The Sub Branch is a not a club, but a registered charity, which derives benefit from the operation of the licenced club, trading as RSL Ltd. Usually that benefit is in the form of rent.
The smaller clubs have suffered due to declining patronage, the perception in older areas by young people that the RSL is "gods waiting room" is true, and they tend to cater for older people with bingo, raffles, old school entertainment etc. A lot of RSL's in the eastern side of Sydney have closed, there would be about 6 I could name.

On the other side of the coin, what I do and have done for a number of years, is a bit of voluntary work with crisis housing in inner Sydney, no big deal. The major cause of problems with older single people, which I come across, is not drugs, alcohol, gambling, besides the lack of family support, its mental illness.
The chap I mentioned, who done the little he had $40k, through the pokies, they were not his problem, although not a smart thing to do, blow your dosh in those things, his problem is dementia. he had a few run ins with others, like himself where he is living, although he is not a violent person himself, and the landlord told him and one other to get out. I have talked with the LL, a woman, and hopefully we can find him another affordable place in the area soon. He's hard to catch, he has no phone, and wanders around the streets during the day, catching buses and trains. I'll call at his place later this morning, wish me luck, can't get much for about $160/week.

p/s Those $8 lunches at some RSL's help a lot of people.

P1405

You sum up an important question; how to help people incapable of helping themselves.
Those people, who in the most part lay traps for themselves to fall into.
Your man demonstrates the aging process and its pitfalls "in toto".

While you engage in the mission of locating him, his view is on the opposite side of the coin. His view is to engage in the war of independence. A war that gets sillier and sillier as age progresses.

Those are a good part of the vulnerable, who will be exploited by the lure of poker machines. And it is a very important point to make, how easy it was for the PM venue to rob him in his vulnerable mental state. It's criminal, or should be seen as a crime, but isn't.
This plunder comes under the comfortable subject matter of ethics. What a joke!

Completely off topic but I just had to share it!!

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=Bar&tbm=isch&tbs=simg:CAQSmQEJmJ0CltXeyTcajQELEKjU2AQaBggVCAIIBQwLELCMpwgaYgpgCAMSKOkMxQvcBcQLywraBdYF5BHYBccXwTXCNZ82oTaqJ8A1xDXWNdU1ij4aMDn3mILGy1zGOmxe736vqTOghtodBtypDRXCHV24sxqEnAsLdr0fxl-HOsa9C5u04yAEDAsQjq7-CBoKCggIARIEq_1S4iAw&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjdx43C4tbZAhVENrwKHaC1BrcQwg4IJigA&biw=820&bih=486#imgrc=SKDgN30wPNHodM:

Once Upon A Time
Australia had a society the was kept safe socially both morally and spiritually by the govt of the day.
A veritable fantasy land where everyone gave care to the disadvantaged and had a clear sense of right and wrong not that everyone practiced it but everyone respected it.
You couldn't even play cards for any sort of gain even in your own home.
Horse betting was limited to the track....save for SPs.
The aged pensioners were shielded from vices that were seen to undermine the social fabric
Then in the sixtys and seventies Australian's came of age in joining the world in f... you Jack, I'm alright! and proceeded to find any way and means to separate people from their money. Pensions that were'nt pensions any more. Even Howard had no problem in spruiking Telstra shares.
A country that lost it's self respect through it's gullibility and with the help of it's politicians
Now we have the Greens claiming that proceeds of gambling can be a good thing