Audits of spending at the NSW branch of the RSL, which were referred to police for investigation, made headlines in December, but what is going on at the national branch of the RSL? An opinion piece by Kel Ryan — an academic writing on issues of the Australian defence community in the 21st century — in the Australian edition of The Spectator (yes, we are really quoting from The Spectator) accuses the organisation of “[failing] the challenge of the 21st century as sub-branches close, local leadership ages and resists change”. Ryan adds a caveat that the organisation is starved of funds, unlike its state-based branches. A tipster tells us RSL National CEO Sam Jackman left the organisation in December 2016, after less than two years. Acting CEO Georgie Macris told Crikey Jackman had resigned to spend more time with her family, who are based in South Australia, but a tipster tells us Jackman had been “treated like a personal assistant by the troglodytes on the board”.