Measuring Progress: the view from Australia Professor Mike Salvaris Victoria University Melbourne, Australia

Overview My work and goals Survey of the Australian scene National project: “Measures of Australia's Progress” Local projects: the Community Indicators Project Measuring wellbeing: a global movement?

Well-being, Sustainability, Quality of Life Ultimately indicators have to shift emphasis from money and consumption to factors that relate to the quality of our lives (socially, economically and ecologically). These qualitative indices point to the purpose of economic development – to build better lives.

Most important functions of local government

Key strategic links of VCIP Better measures of progress Better statistics and statistical capacity Better whole of community planning Citizen engagement and local democracy Stronger communities Better Statewide planning - with local community plan as building blocks

5 pillars of community wellbeing Social Cultural Economic Environmental Governance and democratic

The future does not just happen to us; we ourselves create it by what we do and what we fail to do. It is we who are making tomorrow what tomorrow will be. For that reason, futurists think not so much in terms of predicting the future as in terms of trying to decide wisely what we want the future to be.” Edward Cornish