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A global shift beyond GDP — and what it means for Australian local governments

Posted May 15, 2026

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Michelle Tjondro

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SGS Economics and Planning UN Wellbeing Article

In a new paper for SGS, Michelle Tjondro explores the United Nations' latest framework for measuring progress beyond GDP and what it could mean for Australian local governments.

Economic growth alone does not tell us whether communities are thriving. A new United Nations (UN) report, Counting What Counts, signals a growing global shift toward measuring progress through wellbeing, inclusion, resilience and sustainability, not just Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

For Australian local governments, this shift is particularly relevant. Councils are increasingly being asked to plan for long-term community outcomes, prioritise investment, and demonstrate value beyond traditional economic measures.

In many ways, this transition is already underway. Frameworks such as the Australian Government’s Measuring What Matters and the SGS Cities and Regions Wellbeing Index (CRWI) are helping translate wellbeing from a policy aspiration into something measurable, comparable and actionable at the local level.

The UN report proposes a universal dashboard of 31 indicators spanning health, education, inequality, environmental quality, social cohesion and economic inclusion. Importantly, it also highlights the growing role of localised, place-based data in understanding how communities are really performing.

Local governments have long understood that economic growth alone does not capture the full picture of community wellbeing. What’s significant about this report is that global policy frameworks are beginning to catch up with the realities councils are already grappling with on the ground.

— Michelle Tjondro, Senior Associate and Lead Author of the SGS Cities and Regions Wellbeing Index
SGS Economics and Planning Michelle Tjondrocolour

This emphasis on localisation aligns closely with the CRWI, which tracks wellbeing outcomes across more than 500 local government areas through a nationally consistent place-based framework. Presented through an interactive dashboard, the CRWI helps governments understand how wellbeing outcomes vary spatially across cities and regions, providing a stronger evidence base for planning, infrastructure investment and policy evaluation.

The paper also explores how local governments are increasingly embedding wellbeing frameworks into planning and decision-making, including by aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals and adopting broader wellbeing reporting approaches.

As global momentum around wellbeing measurement builds, Australian local governments are well placed to connect local planning and investment decisions with broader national and international wellbeing objectives.

Read the full paper by Michelle Tjondro, "A universal framework to beyond GDP" to explore:

  • The UN’s proposed wellbeing framework and indicators
  • The growing role of localisation in wellbeing measurement
  • Alignment with Australian wellbeing frameworks
  • Implications for local government policy, planning and investment
  • The role of the CRWI in place-based decision-making
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Author(s):

Michelle Tjondro

Experts in this area:
Sectors:
SGS Economics and Planning Michelle Tjondro Square Colour
For further information contact:

Michelle Tjondro

Senior Associate

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