SIDI goals are set out in the Guidelines of the Association and which are openly promoted by the HTC Report (2013) on the website, www.wollongongfutures.com Some of SIDI’s objectives are:

  • To inform the general public, individuals and organizations about Illawarra’s past history and its ensuing transformation to its present urban status, and beyond. That is, from colonial settlements to the ‘garden state of NSW’, to a grazing region, to a coal mining area and to a vital industrial centre, and (perhaps) as Australia’s First Smart Hi-Tech Eco-City. During the course of Illawarra’s change, a lot of detrimental things happened to its environment and which need to be addressed if Wollongong is to be a modern vibrant city. In conjunction with regional stakeholders (and hopefully with the local council’s support), SIDI’s objective is to help rectify some of bygone faults and help launch Illawarra towards sustainable development
  • Education and promotion was and is carried out by newsletters, published papers, conferences, lectures, expositions and by maintaining an archive
  • To provide an independent community-based consultancy regarding the inclination of Wollongong towards the Sustainable Eco-city status and (perhaps) Australia’s First Smart Hi-Tech Eco-City
  • The upgrade of Wollongong harbor (Belmore Basin), i.e., to help reverse Illawarra’s carbon footprint
  • To partake in policy frameworks* (i.e., resource management and regulation), R&D, planning, organizing and producing novel materials, especially for ecologically sustainable eco-homes

Policy frameworks explains how government(s) tend to intervene, such as taxes, penalties, pollution trading and other incentives or disincentives.