There may be greater difficulties ahead for many older Australians, particularly in regional centres, according to the new Head of Charles Sturt University's Albury-Wodonga Campus, Professor David Battersby.

Professor Battersby will address the influences of new social policies sweeping the industrialised world and their effects on older people during his inaugural Head of Campus Lecture, to be held tonight (Wednesday 2 February).

"Changes to social welfare, loosely termed 'new public management' - or NPM, are associated with the major shifts in government policy making. Government decision making has become more decentralised, privatised and influenced by global issues," Professor Battersby said.

"NPM tends to discriminate against older people - it seeks to move responsibility for those labelled by society as non-productive, such as the aged, from the public sector and directs government funding towards other sources of support such as charitable organisations, churches, families and older people themselves."

Growing old in regional Australia will be a major challenge in the coming century, says Professor Battersby.

"There is a myth that older people in rural communities have an enhanced quality of life. This is not necessarily the case", Professor Battersby said.

"There is much uncertainty in government circles about the appropriateness of current health and social welfare policies directed towards the rural aged. The role of the small country hospital, for instance, is but one example of where there is considerable debate, and sometimes conflicting views between the State and Federal governments."

Professor Battersby has published widely in the fields of gerontology and the education of health professionals. The Head of Campus Lecture will be his first public engagement in Albury since commencing in his new position in January 2000.

The lecture will be held in the Nowik Auditoriums, Guinea St, Albury, tonight (Wednesday 2 February), commencing at 7pm.