Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals in Australia

More countries are localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and making progress in implementing the SDGs. Localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local government level in Australia is limited. State Governments in Australia have introduced legislated planning frameworks to support local governments in Australia to undertake long-term strategy planning. These planning frameworks form the policy framework for local councils to identify local priorities for the future of the local government area. The study objectives of this research are to 1) review the effectiveness of the integration of SDGs in strategic plans of those councils that have completed SDG integration, 2) identify if priorities of councils that have not integrated SDGs explicitly are contributing to the SDGs indirectly, 3) determine issues, challenges and barriers in integrated and non-integrated contexts with due consideration to urban, and rural regions and 4) identify options and recommendations that can enable better integration of SDGs in Australia. Resource-Based theory and Grounded theory method will be used to examine the research topic. The study will deploy mixed methods such as document reviews, case studies, interviews, surveys, content analys is, Nilsson scoring methodologies, governance systems analysis, and indicator assessments. Data gathered from multiple methods will be triangulated to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic and develop the theory. The research process will include reviewing and analysing existing legislated policy frameworks for each state that informs local strategy planning, the strategic and delivery plans at the local level and performance reports. It will also consider how local priorities interact with the SDGs. The indicators identified at the local level will be mapped against the local priorities and SDGs to undertake indicator assessment.