Battle Veterans of Australia?

[dumdum]

Hi all

This small badge surfaced some years back on eBay and drew my attention. I guessed that it was Australian by its construction (the two loops,pins and also the shield shape). Badge is numbered also.

With a bit of digging through the newspaper archives I found a mention of it in November, 1946. It would appear to be an attempt at a rival to the RSL (or create a sub group?) with the stipulation that: "Membership is restricted to those who have had battle service. Sponsors are veterans of both wars" (as quoted in Daily Advertiser, Wagga Wagga, 19 Nov, 1946).

Does this imply a criticism of the RSL accepting members who had not been on active service?

The association also seems to have had enough "clout" that they were part of a Parliamentary Committee on war pensions in June,1950.

Can anyone add more to this?