All too often we hear that regional Australians are getting a ‘raw deal’. At this year’s Agro-Trend, visitors found out how to ensure they were getting the best deal from their local, state and federal governments.

Central Queensland University’s Dr Robert Kelso is a senior lecturer with the Faculty of Business and Law. He is currently researching the Queensland Government Agent Program (QGAP) as an example of public-private relationships and the changing nature of public service provision in Queensland.

His presentation “Getting the best deal from governments,” discussed ways in which governments have been progressively downsizing for a number of years.

Dr Kelso said nowhere is this downsizing more evident than in the rural and remote areas of the State.

“In an attempt to compensate, governments have reorganised some of their service delivery systems into one-stop-shop outlets such as Queensland Government Agent Program, Rural Transaction Centres and Australia Post agencies.

“These have the potential to realign the relationships between government departments and the communities they serve. I will explain some of the dynamics associated with these changes and identify positive aspects for users of government services,” he said.

Dr Kelso’s current research forms part of an integrity systems research project by Griffith University’s Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance. The results will contribute to an Integrity Handbook to tackle international corruption in business and government.

The CQU academic has also prepared numerous submissions to parliamentary inquiries, proposals for amendments to legislation, Australian Law Reform Commission inquiries and applications for funding for community based services.

Dr Kelso is a member of the executive committee which has organised five regional Family Law Reform Conferences. The last Conference hosted two guest speakers, Ms Dianna Bryant the newly appointed Chief Magistrate of the Federal Magistracy, and Mr Brian Butler, ATSIC commissioner and Chairman of the ATSIC Stolen Generation working party.