The Sustainable Development Goals: An Australian Response

Abstract

The article critically reviews and discusses the findings and recommendations of the Australian Senate Inquiry into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and suggests strategies to achieving the SDGs within and beyond Australia. By employing the focus group discussion method, it critically discusses the report as per the Inquiry’s terms of reference and looks at Australia’s responses to the SDGs both domestically and internationally. It underscores the engagement of government, including the Official Development Assistance, and non-government organisations, and the private sector. To accelerate the implementation of the SDGs, it argues that greater awareness of the SDGs, attitudinal change and systematic implementation and action are needed locally, nationally and globally. The SDGs require an approach that is beyond national interest, focusing on world development that leaves no one behind.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals: Australia’s de facto national urban policy?

“…Despite nominally taking a 'whole-of-government' approach, the primary responsibility for implementing and reporting on the SDGs has fallen on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with limited support or engagement from other relevant agencies such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) (Pawar et al 2020).…”