Abstract
When the Australian Government signed Agenda 21 at the UNCED Conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 it made a commitment that every local council in Australia would undertake a consultative process with their local community and achieve a consensus on the preparation of a Local Agenda 21 by 1996. A Local Agenda 21 is a long term strategic program for achieving sustainability in the 21st century which integrates environmental, social and economic objectives. It may be a document, a process or a program.