MONASH MEDALIST 2025 – Dr Robert Webster OAM
A DEDICATED AUSTRALIAN as an educator, soldier and community contributor who has been the face and voice of the Returned Soldiers League (RSL) in Victoria for the past eight years.
Image courtesy of RSL Victoria
Robert’s career as an educator, soldier and community contributor is evidence that he meets the criteria and is a worthy candidate for the 2025 Monash Medal. Notably for the past eight years, Robert has been the face and voice of the RSL in Victoria. His military service in Vietnam was with 26 Transport Company, Royal Australian Army Service Corps from Feb 1970 until Feb 1971. His subsequent RSL involvement spans 40 years during which he was State President 2017 – 2025. Robert was awarded the RSL’s highest honour, the meritorious Service Medal in 2016 following which he was awarded an Order of Australia in the 2017 New Year honours.
Robert retired from RMIT in 2009 after 31 years and has since taught part time at both Deakin University and for RMIT in both Melbourne and Singapore. Rob’s academic interests are in property investment, property finance, valuation of real estate and location decision-making behaviour in the transport and logistics industry. Prior to his RMIT career Rob worked as both an accountant and property valuer. Rob a Fellow of both CPA Australia and the Australian Property Institute. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree. In his spare time Rob is his family's historian, enjoys reading and volunteers with CPA Australia. Rob has five children and five grandchildren and is married to Jenni.
His role as a Board Member of Austin Health for 15 years, Chair of the Victoria Veterans Children’s Education Board, member of the RSL’s Defence Support Council and a long-standing involvement in Veterans Aged Care evidences his wide ranging commitment. His address to Rotary Melbourne on the 13th May 2020 had a focus on the mental health aspect for defence personnel and its connection with Australian Rotary Health. Robert has been widely sought after as a speaker by Rotary Clubs and demonstrates an engaging delivery style.
