RSL’s ongoing expense scandal

The RSL’s NSW council has agreed to stand aside amid an ongoing expenses scandal.

The decision comes a month after nine state council members were charged by the RSL’s national body over an alleged cover-up of a misuse of funds.

A spokeswoman confirmed to AAP on Saturday that NSW council members had stepped aside but she had no further comment.

The RSL’s national body alleged in its charge sheet last month that the state council brought the organisation into disrepute with its lack of transparency following former NSW president Don Rowe’s “careless” spending.

Rowe was pushed to resign in 2014 when concerns were raised about his expense claims but the RSL membership was told he left due to ill health, the charge sheet said.

Rowe incurred $475,000 on his RSL credit card between January 2009 and December 2014, with about $38,000 going towards his phone bills, an auditor’s report last year said.

The KordaMentha report also found Rowe and former national president Rod White were among several other RSL directors who received more than $2.5 million in consultancy fees from an aged care charity within the league.

NSW Minister for Veterans Affairs David Elliott has referred Rowe to police.

Several RSL NSW council members had already stood aside before this week, including Peter Stephenson, who said in a January statement his temporary resignation was not an admission of culpability.

“It is my intention to defend the actions of state council based on legal advice at the time,” Stephenson said.

State RSL president John Haines has been contacted for comment.