Vital Role of Clubs Assures Their Future, Says ClubsNSW Deputy Chair

As some financial institutions clamp down on the type of industries they do business with, NSW clubs can be confident of lending certainty due to their net social benefit to communities.

That’s the view of ClubsNSW Deputy Chair Ron Coskerie, who says in the latest episode of the ClubLIFE Podcast episode that both industries share a common purpose.

“I think that clubs and financial institutions… are really inter-related because Tier 1 banks… help us to actually forward invest for our communities, which is really important,” he says.

“As long as the club industry is aware that we have a greater good… I don’t see there being a problem,” Ron says.

Ron — who is also the Senior Vice President at St Marys Rugby League Club, as well as working within the financial services sector — made the comments amid some lenders choosing to incorporate ethical considerations into loan assessments.

He told the ClubLIFE Podcast, released earlier today, that as long as clubs continue to evolve to meet the needs and expectations of their local communities, organisations will want to do business with the industry.

“It’s important that we actually work on harm minimisation, we work towards carded play, we make sure that we’re actually doing what’s in the best interests of our members and we actually be in control of our governance and compliance,” he says.

Ron was introduced to the registered club industry at a young age, having played rugby league for St Marys and working his way up to first grade where he had stints at both Penrith and Canberra.

He followed in the footsteps of his father, Ron Coskerie, who played for the lower grades in the Canterbury Bankstown region.

Ron tells the ClubLIFE Podcast that it was also a great honour to serve with his late father, who sadly passed away in December 2024, on the board of St Marys Rugby League Club for many years.

As he looks to the future of the industry, Ron identifies cashless gaming — or what he believes should be better described as carded play — as well as harm minimisation and diversification as important areas of focus for clubs.

“We’re a hospitality venue that provides food, service, entertainment, accommodation, and so having a club that actually has a diversified revenue stream is actually advantageous because they could be counter-cyclical,” he says.

“In other words, when your hotel’s not going good your food may be going better, so I just think it’s good, prudent financial management to diversity your revenue stream and not being too reliant on one aspect of it.

“As we know in all industries, history tells us that you do have legislative and you have regulatory changes and you have things that are out of your control.

“If you’re relying on 85 per cent of your revenue on something you can’t control the outcome of, well you’re really putting the rest of your business at risk.”

Despite the inevitable challenges that lie ahead, Ron believes the community can be assured of the long-term viability of the industry.

“The value of registered clubs… their charters are about people, all the money that they make goes back to the community — it’s a mutual, it’s a rare thing,” he says.

“When decisions are made for a financial investment it’s usually community first and it’s the dollar second… once you’ve got things that are built on values, which are there to help people, it’s humanity. So, we’ll be here in 100 years’ time, no worries!”

Click on the link below to hear the full interview with Ron Coskerie in the seventh episode of the ClubLIFE Podcast, which is also available via ClubLIFE.com.au, Apple, Spotify and wherever else you get your podcasts.

If you have a suggestion on who might make an interesting guest for a future ClubLIFE Podcast episode, get in touch with the team by emailing [email protected].