RSL SA apologises after a sub-branch page left offensive comment on Aboriginal artist’s Facebook page

RSL South Australia has apologised to an Aboriginal artist after the admin of a sub-branch Facebook page wrote an “offensive” comment on his page.

Last week, Arrernte man Scott Rathman posted his Invasion Day T-shirt range on his business page Rusted Tin.

“But then had a mysterious comment that turned up from the RSL Millicent basically accusing me of inciting racism and that if I didn’t like it I could leave,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide’s Nikolai Beilharz and Stacey Lee.

“One of the most bizarre things about it is I had no idea they came about to be posting on my page.

“I wasn’t aware they followed me at all. It was a bit random.”

RSL South Australia president Cheryl Cates said the comment was “offensive”.

She said she visited Mr Rathman’s store and verbally apologised to the artist.

“I said that a letter of apology would follow,” she said.

“It was an administrator of that page, he has been counselled and he has been sanctioned, not only by myself but from the president of [RSL] Millicent,” she said.

Ms Cates said the perpetrator, who has mental health issues, has been disciplined, adding that a majority of RSL members were volunteers.

“That’s not the views of the RSL in South Australia … in particularly here [we] have worked very hard with Aboriginal Veterans SA.”

But Mr Rathman was not satisfied with the RSL South Australia’s response.

“Just saying that someone has been counselled isn’t dealing with the real issue. The real issue is that … this is not just one person’s view in the RSL, we know that in the wider community racism exists,” he said.

“If that happened in most organisations that person would have been sanctioned greater than just being told not to do it again.”

He said he wanted to see more education and training to make RSL branches culturally safe environments.