The Author fails to impress, seems locked into the idea, these 2023 jobs will all be the result of more expansion/compaction of overcrowded gridlocked cities.

Seems unable to consider the huge billions in lost productivity, due to congestion. Seems only able to consider the future from the point of view of the urban re-developer And growth rising ever skyward. To serve the vested interests of foreign debt-laden property developers and or speculation?

When instead it should be focused at our vast empty centre and what change could be wrought with the creation of an inland canal!?

Where will the future jobs e, is, however, an interesting question and relies exclusively on the vision of emboldened future leaders. And needs to include quite massive decentralisation and the drought proofing of food bowl Australia.

Food bowl Australia would create many more new jobs in various deionisation dialysis desalination and as MSR thorium, nuclear-powered projects that physically and progressively reverse centuries of progressive desertification (land management) of inland Australia!

Can we afford this 2st-century snowy mountain type future vision?

Why not, we have 2.5 trillion in our super funds, just begging a government to create a natural investment home for these funds as impossible to lose, thirty year self-terminating, government guaranteed, investment bonds!

The difficulty here is in the fixed mindsets, contemplating only their future or how best to sell a message that allows their side of politics to occupy the treasury benches for yet another term as the major prize!

As opposed to our finest future and prospects as a trading and services not reliant on either coal or gas, as food-producing nation trading goods and services to the world!
Alan B.

Alan B -

Here you say "When instead it should be focused at our vast empty centre and what change could be wrought with the creation of an inland canal!?"

Replies to you from another thread.
1st by me.
You fail to take into account.
In case you have forgotten most of the population is around the coastline of Australia because of the heat inland and you think quote "our arid interior desert heartland! where if intelligently developed could easily hold a hundred million more"

This may help your thinking.
CLIMATE AND AVERAGE MONTHLY WEATHER IN Alice Springs, Australia
The climate in Alice Springs, Australia is hot. In summer, the average maximum temperature is in the mid 40 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), whereas in winter the average minimum temperature can be 5.5 degrees Celsius (41.9 °Fahrenheit). Rainfall can vary from year to year and can be described as predictably unpredictable. Overall the climate is dry and arid most of the time. Most people find that day temperatures exceed their comfort level.

AND Posted by Divergence
Facing up to reality isn't the same as being a racist. You need to take a look at the tables on the Web from the World Bank and Index Mundi to get a good idea of our real situation. We are currently feeding around 60 million people in a good year and half that many in a bad drought year. Only 6.2% of Australia is arable, and the average quality of that arable land is very low, since our soils haven't been renewed by glaciation or mountain building. We get around 2 tonnes of grain per hectare in a good year, compared to more than 7 in France. Our current production is completely dependent on imported oil and phosphate, and we have serious problems with land degradation (see the CSIRO's maps), without even considering any problems that climate change might bring. If you can farm the interior of Australia with its poor soils and ferocious evaporation rates, then you can also farm the Sahara, Antarctica, or the surface of the Moon.

The Adelaide S4A region is utterly ridiculous!*
The statistics would be far more meaningful if the CBD was grouped with the western suburbs rather than the hills.

*Except of course when compared to things like an inland canal.

Alan B Quote "Why not, we have 2.5 trillion in our super funds, just begging a government to create a natural investment home for these funds as impossible to lose, thirty year self-terminating, government guaranteed, investment bonds!"

With the likelihood of Labor winning the next election how many people with money in Super would trust Shorten with it? NOT ME.

The national debt of Australian is A$ 595,637,894,202 and the interest to be paid is going up $608 per second.

Bearing in mind we have a Liberal Government how many people would trust Morrison with there money, NOT ME.

Like this part "as impossible to lose" If you believe that you have absolutely no credibility.

https://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/australia

Why is the inland so hot? Because it's not close to a large water source like the coastal regions are. Can we change any of that? Absolutely, and because a lot of our inland like various dried u salt lakes are already below sea level. Add affordable desalinated water and you add additional cooling natural convection/evaporation.

It's not for nothing the coolest place on a hotter than hell summer day is beneath the shade of a mango tree. Imagine that scenario only a millionfold and just by adding desalinated water.

And with any evergreen tree or understory food crop, you like!

I get that some folks don't want development don't want change or the loss of their control/fiefdom that change and development would bring.

We have two stark choices, we change it or have change forced on us as we polish our mandarin and r's licking skills!

If our oldies could imagine then build and pay for an impossible for us Snowy Mountains project?

Why can't we several times bigger and several times larger as an economy and workforce, create our own exceptional, wonder of the world, vision.

What prevents or stops that?

Nothing whatsoever! Just the usual experts like Adian and the very abrasive Mr Phillips, who as always knows all the reasons things can't be done or move from the cave and employ another method of food gathering that no longer relies on running it down with a stone tied to a stick!
Alan B.

Land management that includes annual burns, does a few things, first, it destroys all the non-fire tolerant flora or fauna. Then sends clouds of scarce soil nutrient skyward with each burn to eventually wind up in the ocean where it does nothing but harm. Think, this land was once covered from coast to coast in verdant forest.

Moreover, We regularly flush millions of tons of soil nutrient out to sea annually along with millions and millions of litres of water. And could reverse all that with truly affordable, reliable, carbon-free 24/7 power. And that power should come from MSR thorium, which promises everything fusion did but couldn't ever deliver!

Why?

BECAUSE NOTHING ELSE IN PLAY OR PROSPECT, COMES EVEN CLOSE ON SAFETY, PERFORMANCE, BUILD COSTS, 24/7 RELIABILITY OR AFFORDABILITY!

It would be virtual child's play to build a canal where most of the land is already below sea level and too salt for anything to grow thrive or flourish!
Alan B.