New Crow RSA query

Steve Crow at the Boobs on Bikes parade in Auckland.

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A bid by Auckland businessman Steve Crow to gain office at New Plymouth's RSA is being looked into by the organisation's national body.

Mr Crow, who bailed the financially-troubled club out last year along with his brother David, is standing for every position at the club, from president to becoming a member of its executive committee.

The club will hold its AGM at the clubrooms on October 31.

National RSA president Robin Klitscher, of Wellington, said it was an unusual situation.

When approached by the Taranaki Daily News he said: "You can only occupy one position at a time.

"We'll need to look at this and examine it, it's not a straight forward situation.

"We'll be looking at it in the next few days."

Mr Klitscher said each RSA was totally autonomous, something members fearlessly defended, and the national body could only get involved in specific circumstances.

He was not sure if there was a conflict of interest in Mr Crow owning of the club and holding office, if he was to be elected.

"We need to ensure what is happening there is in the spirit of the organisation and within its rules," Mr Klitscher said.

Members of the club would not comment about the situation when spoken to by the Taranaki Daily News yesterday.

Mr Crow, who runs a pornography business in Auckland, said he wanted to hold office to help the club move forward – honouring his father's deathbed wish that it survived in New Plymouth. "If they do want my help then good, if they don't then so be it," he said.

The brothers bought the Strandon clubrooms for $1.9 million in July 2008, as part of a rescue package for the organisation, which was in danger of going broke.

RSA members, 97 per cent, voted to sell the property to the brothers, who intend to put a $20 million development on the site, on the promise it got cash to clear debts and improved facilities.

Mr Crow said the club was now breaking even through a "hell of a lot of hard work done by my brother and I over the past two years at significant personal cost".

Mr Crow said if the club was to survive it needed to be heading in the right direction and he believed he was the right man for the job.

"Someone needs to put their hand up that has the skills to do it, I'll do what I can to help.

"If they choose not to [elect me] then that's cool," he said.

The members backlash was coming from a vocal minority and Mr Crow thought he could have the support to gain office.

"We are never going to please everyone.

"I'm hoping that there are enough members who realise if we didn't change it would be shut. They couldn't carry on the way that they were going," Mr Crow said.

Living in Auckland was not seen as a disadvantage by Mr Crow who said he attended every executive committee meeting.

"I'm every bit as visible as most members anyway."

Membership at the club had grown in the past six months, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News