Bruce Carlyle Ruxton, AM, OBE (6 February 1926 – 23 December 2011) was an Australian ex-serviceman and President of the Victorian Returned and Services League from 1979 to 2002.
As the Second World War veterans grew older, he lobbied on their behalf regarding issues such as nursing homes and retirement accommodation.
[2] Following two years of ill-health due to viral pneumonia contracted during a visit to Boer War sites, Ruxton resigned as President of the Victorian RSL in June 2002.
[3] Along with RSL National President, Brigadier Alf Garland, Ruxton was an opponent of the Multifunction Polis (MFP), a Japanese funded technology city proposed in 1987 for the north of Adelaide.
While president of the Victorian RSL, during the Anzac Day March in 1982, he stood in the path of members of the Gay Ex-servicemen's Association to prevent them from laying a wreath at the Shrine of Remembrance.
"[5][6] In 1980 Ruxton criticised the Northcote City Council in Victoria, after left-wing Councillors supported a number of policies that were anathema to those traditionally held by the RSL.
[8] Ruxton was also incensed at the refusal of Scottish-born Councillor Brian Sanaghan to renew his oath of allegiance to the Queen after being re-elected to the Northcote Council in 1980.
[10] During Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu visit to Victoria in 1986, Ruxton's referred to him as a "witch doctor" who "breathed hatred" and accused him of encouraging black servants in South Africa to poison white children.
Asked in a 2002 ABC documentary what he though of people who branded him a racist, Ruxton replied that he "Couldn't care less", but admitted regretting the "witchdoctor" comment.
Bruce Rump would rant in a voice similar to Ruxton's, sometimes reaching a violent frenzy and ending with the non-sequitur "... and that's why we should keep the bloody flag the same!"