STORY: JAY HANNA
PHOTOGRAPHY: ROSS SWANBOROUGH
STYLING: TEAGAN SEWELL
Flying cars, space travel, wearable computers and wars being waged by AI. In the last couple of decades things that were once the stuff of science fiction have become reality.
But technological advancements aside, our everyday lives have not changed drastically since the turn of the century. In the next 25 years, as Australia’s deadline for hitting net zero looms closer, we can expect technology to continue to develop at pace but what about the society we live in? What changes might we expect to impact our day-to-day lives?
One way to predict how the future may turn out is to look to gen Z for the answers. By 2050, this cohort of now 20-somethings will be emerging as the nation’s leaders and their views will come to shape our future. That might seem like bad news to today’s baby boomer and gen X bosses who tend to pigeonhole these most recent entrants to the workforce as unreliable, entitled and woke with unrealistic expectations about work and life.
But this generation of change-makers and rule-breakers may just prove to be the inspiring and innovative leaders the world has been crying out for.
STORY: JAY HANNA
PHOTOGRAPHY: ROSS SWANBOROUGH
STYLING: TEAGAN SEWELL
Flying cars, space travel, wearable computers and wars being waged by AI. In the last couple of decades things that were once the stuff of science fiction have become reality.
But technological advancements aside, our everyday lives have not changed drastically since the turn of the century. In the next 25 years, as Australia’s deadline for hitting net zero looms closer, we can expect technology to continue to develop at pace but what about the society we live in? What changes might we expect to impact our day-to-day lives?
One way to predict how the future may turn out is to look to gen Z for the answers. By 2050, this cohort of now 20-somethings will be emerging as the nation’s leaders and their views will come to shape our future. That might seem like bad news to today’s baby boomer and gen X bosses who tend to pigeonhole these most recent entrants to the workforce as unreliable, entitled and woke with unrealistic expectations about work and life.
But this generation of change-makers and rule-breakers may just prove to be the inspiring and innovative leaders the world has been crying out for.
Gen Z university student Prianka Behari has every faith that her generation will make effective future leaders.
The 21-year-old part-time model will soon complete a double major in law and commerce at university with hopes of working in politics, foreign policy or becoming an arbitrator or tax barrister.
Behari, pictured, says her generation is passionate about global news and human rights and has been unfairly criticised for challenging the status quo on issues such as gender politics, the environment and diversity.
“We are seen as oversensitive about how we interpret what happens in the world,” Behari says. “And dismissed as being woke.” |
Demographer and geographer Simon Kuestenmacher says gen Z is somewhat harshly judged by older generations, which is partly due to life-stage differences and a clash of workplace culture.
He says gen Z is entering the workforce at a time which is nothing like when baby boomers got their first jobs.
“The baby boomers were a gigantic birth cohort and they entered the workforce at a time of high unemployment,” the co-founder of The Demographics Group says. “They had to compete for jobs and it was a big privilege to score a job.
“Gen Z is a small birth cohort, they are entering the workforce in times of record low unemployment and a prolonged skills shortage. Of course, these new workers have more leverage.”
Social researcher Mark McCrindle explains that gen Z will likely have multiple careers and favour work/life balance, flexibility and the ability to work remotely. As employees they can be hard to attract and retain, partly because they value job satisfaction over stability.
“They are entrepreneurial and can innovate and adapt,” he says. “But they are not necessarily looking for job security and will often change jobs, pursue more study or start a side hustle.”
However, McCrindle says over time gen Z will grow into “excellent leaders”.
“Gen Z is tech-savvy and the most formally educated generation in the workforce,” he says. |
“They are also the most globally connected and that vision of the world is more important than ever in the global economy.”
Gen Z university student Prianka Behari has every faith that her generation will make effective future leaders.
The 21-year-old part-time model will soon complete a double major in law and commerce at university with hopes of working in politics, foreign policy or becoming an arbitrator or tax barrister.
Behari, pictured, says her generation is passionate about global news and human rights and has been unfairly criticised for challenging the status quo on issues such as gender politics, the environment and diversity.
“We are seen as oversensitive about how we interpret what happens in the world,” Behari says. “And dismissed as being woke.” |
Demographer and geographer Simon Kuestenmacher says gen Z is somewhat harshly judged by older generations, which is partly due to life-stage differences and a clash of workplace culture.
He says gen Z is entering the workforce at a time which is nothing like when baby boomers got their first jobs.
“The baby boomers were a gigantic birth cohort and they entered the workforce at a time of high unemployment,” the co-founder of The Demographics Group says. “They had to compete for jobs and it was a big privilege to score a job.
“Gen Z is a small birth cohort, they are entering the workforce in times of record low unemployment and a prolonged skills shortage. Of course, these new workers have more leverage.”
Social researcher Mark McCrindle explains that gen Z will likely have multiple careers and favour work/life balance, flexibility and the ability to work remotely. As employees they can be hard to attract and retain, partly because they value job satisfaction over stability.
“They are entrepreneurial and can innovate and adapt,” he says. “But they are not necessarily looking for job security and will often change jobs, pursue more study or start a side hustle.”
However, McCrindle says over time gen Z will grow into “excellent leaders”.
“Gen Z is tech-savvy and the most formally educated generation in the workforce,” he says. |
“They are also the most globally connected and that vision of the world is more important than ever in the global economy.”
As leaders, gen Z will favour a collaborative approach. “They will want the input of others rather than being autocratic leaders making the decisions themselves,” McCrindle says.
“They are more likely to implement a flatter structure rather than a hierarchical one and to value innovation over tradition and existing structures. All that equips them well for a world of change and global connections.”
While much has been said about the potential negative impacts of gen Z being the first mobile generation with constant access to the internet and social media, Behari says there are also positives.
“One good thing is how interconnected we have become,” she says. “Even if something doesn’t directly affect us, we take the view that it does affect us, or it can affect us. Or it is affecting someone who doesn’t have the privileges we have to talk about it.
“We aren’t living in a bubble any more and with that comes the ability to try and make positive change globally.” |
McCrindle says gen Z’s challenge as they move into leadership roles will be managing technology. “They will have to ensure it is a human-centric world and that technology, AI, automation and robotics is empowering humanity rather than impairing it,” he says.
Behari believes her think-outside-the-box generation will bring about positive change. “I see so many gen-Z entrepreneurs coming up with ideas and inventions,” she says.
As leaders, gen Z will favour a collaborative approach. “They will want the input of others rather than being autocratic leaders making the decisions themselves,” McCrindle says.
“They are more likely to implement a flatter structure rather than a hierarchical one and to value innovation over tradition and existing structures. All that equips them well for a world of change and global connections.”
While much has been said about the potential negative impacts of gen Z being the first mobile generation with constant access to the internet and social media, Behari says there are also positives.
“One good thing is how interconnected we have become,” she says. “Even if something doesn’t directly affect us, we take the view that it does affect us, or it can affect us. Or it is affecting someone who doesn’t have the privileges we have to talk about it.
“We aren’t living in a bubble any more and with that comes the ability to try and make positive change globally.” |
McCrindle says gen Z’s challenge as they move into leadership roles will be managing technology. “They will have to ensure it is a human-centric world and that technology, AI, automation and robotics is empowering humanity rather than impairing it,” he says.
Behari believes her think-outside-the-box generation will bring about positive change. “I see so many gen-Z entrepreneurs coming up with ideas and inventions,” she says.
Advertisement
According to Kuestenmacher, companies that aren’t already on board with artificial intelligence stand to be left behind, with a skills shortage the most pressing issue facing business leaders in the coming years.
“Staffing your organisation will get harder, not easier,” he says. “So AI, automation and robotics are your friends rather than something to be fearful of, because we need to find ways to be more productive and efficient.”
He suggests the nation’s workforce will need to be bolstered by a sharp uptick in immigration. By 2050, Kuestenmacher estimates the Australian population will have grown by nine million people or around 30 per cent.
“Most of the population growth, well over two-thirds, will be migration, and only one-third will be from more babies being born than people dying,” he says. “So, Australia will become increasingly multicultural.”
He says demographic trends teamed with “geopolitical uproar” suggest India’s emerging middle class will be our highest migrant group.
However, our ageing population will become a major healthcare headache.
“In the next 15 years, the number of people aged 85-plus will double,” Kuestenmacher says. “If we run an aged-care system in the exact same way with the exact same labour requirements and costings as today, we will not have enough workers, even on a high-migration scenario.”
He believes the solution lies in making sure older Australians remain as healthy as possible. |
“In the future it will be the norm that once you hit certain biological markers, you will have a wearable device on your wrist to detect falls and collect other medical data that would alert services in advance. This will allow people to live independently for longer and reduce pressure on the healthcare system.”
Demographer and geographer Simon Kuestenmacher. Image: supplied.
Demographer and geographer Simon Kuestenmacher. Image: supplied.
Demographer and geographer Simon Kuestenmacher.
Image: supplied.
According to Kuestenmacher, companies that aren’t already on board with artificial intelligence stand to be left behind, with a skills shortage the most pressing issue facing business leaders in the coming years.
“Staffing your organisation will get harder, not easier,” he says. “So AI, automation and robotics are your friends rather than something to be fearful of, because we need to find ways to be more productive and efficient.”
He suggests the nation’s workforce will need to be bolstered by a sharp uptick in immigration. By 2050, Kuestenmacher estimates the Australian population will have grown by nine million people or around 30 per cent.
“Most of the population growth, well over two-thirds, will be migration, and only one-third will be from more babies being born than people dying,” he says. “So, Australia will become increasingly multicultural.”
He says demographic trends teamed with “geopolitical uproar” suggest India’s emerging middle class will be our highest migrant group.
However, our ageing population will become a major healthcare headache.
“In the next 15 years, the number of people aged 85-plus will double,” Kuestenmacher says. “If we run an aged-care system in the exact same way with the exact same labour requirements and costings as today, we will not have enough workers, even on a high-migration scenario.”
He believes the solution lies in making sure older Australians remain as healthy as possible. |
“In the future it will be the norm that once you hit certain biological markers, you will have a wearable device on your wrist to detect falls and collect other medical data that would alert services in advance. This will allow people to live independently for longer and reduce pressure on the healthcare system.”
- Prianka Behari
- Prianka Behari
Change is coming to Canberra, according to Kuestenmacher.
“It is quite likely that in 25 years neither the Liberal nor the Labor Party will be in power,” he says. He points out that in 1987, 2 per cent of votes went to third parties but this vote has continued to increase, hitting 31 per cent at the last Federal election.
“Yes it is a preferential voting system, but one-third of us are already not voting Labor or Liberal,” he says.
He cites data from the Australian Electoral Commission, which indicates that voters under the age of 45, in particular, are moving away from the major parties.
Kuestenmacher points to the recent German election as evidence that once-dominant parties can fall out of voting favour. “If you look at my birth country of Germany, the labour party (the SPD) used to score between 30 and 40 per cent of the vote,” he says. “In this election they scored only 16 per cent, so you can move into political irrelevance within two decades quite easily.”
McCrindle argues political trends are more like a pendulum than a one-way street, so he predicts there will be swings away from the major parties, then back to them. |
“Minor parties will come and go and some might establish strength but the dominance of the two major parties, while at a low ebb now, is the longer-term future,” he says.
Change is coming to Canberra, according to Kuestenmacher.
“It is quite likely that in 25 years neither the Liberal nor the Labor Party will be in power,” he says. He points out that in 1987, 2 per cent of votes went to third parties but this vote has continued to increase, hitting 31 per cent at the last Federal election.
“Yes it is a preferential voting system, but one-third of us are already not voting Labor or Liberal,” he says.
He cites data from the Australian Electoral Commission, which indicates that voters under the age of 45, in particular, are moving away from the major parties.
Kuestenmacher points to the recent German election as evidence that once-dominant parties can fall out of voting favour. “If you look at my birth country of Germany, the labour party (the SPD) used to score between 30 and 40 per cent of the vote,” he says. “In this election they scored only 16 per cent, so you can move into political irrelevance within two decades quite easily.”
McCrindle argues political trends are more like a pendulum than a one-way street, so he predicts there will be swings away from the major parties, then back to them. |
“Minor parties will come and go and some might establish strength but the dominance of the two major parties, while at a low ebb now, is the longer-term future,” he says.
Advertisement
Kuestenmacher suggests the best way for the major parties to stay relevant is to make policies that benefit younger voters.
“Existing policy, particularly around housing, favours older voters and is actually hostile towards young people,” he says.
“For that reason, I am pretty confident saying in 2050, Australia will be ruled by a prime minister that most likely runs a minority government and is probably not Labor or Liberal. It is likely that new political parties emerge and come into power.”
Behari would like to see more diversity in parliament, especially at the top. She believes the current lack of diversity could impede any political aspirations she may have in the future.
“I am not sure I could be elected prime minister,” she says. “I am not exactly the ideal candidate, being a multicultural woman of South African and Indian descent. I don’t see someone like me being voted in.”
However, she does believe things could change in the next
25 years. “Hopefully that is something that will get better in time,” she says.
McCrindle says “without a doubt” he can foresee a time when Behari or another woman of multicultural background is running our country.
“Having that cultural diversity and that global lens is a strength,” he says. |
If Behari were ever to become prime minister, Australia’s national security would be high on her agenda. “It worries me that we don’t have a very big defence force and have to rely so heavily on our allies,” she says.
Kuestenmacher suggests the best way for the major parties to stay relevant is to make policies that benefit younger voters.
“Existing policy, particularly around housing, favours older voters and is actually hostile towards young people,” he says.
“For that reason, I am pretty confident saying in 2050, Australia will be ruled by a prime minister that most likely runs a minority government and is probably not Labor or Liberal. It is likely that new political parties emerge and come into power.”
Behari would like to see more diversity in parliament, especially at the top. She believes the current lack of diversity could impede any political aspirations she may have in the future.
“I am not sure I could be elected prime minister,” she says. “I am not exactly the ideal candidate, being a multicultural woman of South African and Indian descent. I don’t see someone like me being voted in.”
However, she does believe things could change in the next
25 years. “Hopefully that is something that will get better in time,” she says.
McCrindle says “without a doubt” he can foresee a time when Behari or another woman of multicultural background is running our country.
“Having that cultural diversity and that global lens is a strength,” he says. |
If Behari were ever to become prime minister, Australia’s national security would be high on her agenda. “It worries me that we don’t have a very big defence force and have to rely so heavily on our allies,” she says.
Australia’s dominant industries will continue to thrive in the decades to come, according to Kuestenmacher.
But he says in an effort to diversify, we should encourage innovative start-ups and lure to our shores footloose industries that are not rooted to a specific location.
“We have plenty to offer in terms of lifestyle, security and comforts.” |
Likewise, he expects Australians will continue to work remotely, cutting back on the traditional commute. He suggests those who continue to drive to the office won’t be behind the wheel themselves.
“I wouldn’t expect flying cars to be the norm in 2050 due to the vast amount of energy required but we will probably have driverless cars,” he says. “And people may start to forgo car ownership. Self-driving cars will pick you up and drive you.”
This in turn will result in people moving away from cities and central business hubs and will cut the number of road accidents.
Australia’s dominant industries will continue to thrive in the decades to come, according to Kuestenmacher.
But he says in an effort to diversify, we should encourage innovative start-ups and lure to our shores footloose industries that are not rooted to a specific location.
“We have plenty to offer in terms of lifestyle, security and comforts.” |
Likewise, he expects Australians will continue to work remotely, cutting back on the traditional commute. He suggests those who continue to drive to the office won’t be behind the wheel themselves.
“I wouldn’t expect flying cars to be the norm in 2050 due to the vast amount of energy required but we will probably have driverless cars,” he says. “And people may start to forgo car ownership. Self-driving cars will pick you up and drive you.”
This in turn will result in people moving away from cities and central business hubs and will cut the number of road accidents.
As for taxes, Kuestenmacher believes sooner or later there will be an overhaul of our system, pointing out that young economists and policy writers tend to agree on this issue. “Around 52 per cent of all the tax the country earns is income tax,” he says.
“As a result while it is easy to earn a lot of money, it is very hard to build up wealth." |
"What a lot of the young writers say is that we need to ensure people get to keep a much higher share of their income and find ways to tax their wealth. That in turn leads to more financial equity.”
Kuestenmacher expects that will involve increasing GST, getting rid of stamp duty and bringing in land tax. “Most people tend to agree that this is an excellent idea but politically it is difficult to implement because 64 per cent of voters are homeowners and they will not vote for this,” he says. “But I would say in 25 years we would probably have found a way.”
As for taxes, Kuestenmacher believes sooner or later there will be an overhaul of our system, pointing out that young economists and policy writers tend to agree on this issue. “Around 52 per cent of all the tax the country earns is income tax,” he says.
“As a result while it is easy to earn a lot of money, it is very hard to build up wealth." |
"What a lot of the young writers say is that we need to ensure people get to keep a much higher share of their income and find ways to tax their wealth. That in turn leads to more financial equity.”
Kuestenmacher expects that will involve increasing GST, getting rid of stamp duty and bringing in land tax. “Most people tend to agree that this is an excellent idea but politically it is difficult to implement because 64 per cent of voters are homeowners and they will not vote for this,” he says. “But I would say in 25 years we would probably have found a way.”
Kuestenmacher also makes the bold prediction that house prices could be more affordable in 2050 than they are now.
“Boomers are stubborn and most have refused to downsize from the family home,” he says. “When those big homes enter the market in the 30s and 40s, it will create negative price pressures and house prices should soften.”
That’s good news for Behari, who says housing affordability is one of her generation’s biggest concerns.
“The cost of housing and the rental crisis causes us so much anxiety and that’s not being hyperbolic,” she says. |
By 2050, she hopes to be happy and secure. “Hopefully I will have my own home and be in a job where I am helping people,” she says. “And I would like to think I will be married with children.”
Which sounds like a case of the more we change, the more we stay the same.
Kuestenmacher also makes the bold prediction that house prices could be more affordable in 2050 than they are now.
“Boomers are stubborn and most have refused to downsize from the family home,” he says. “When those big homes enter the market in the 30s and 40s, it will create negative price pressures and house prices should soften.”
That’s good news for Behari, who says housing affordability is one of her generation’s biggest concerns.
“The cost of housing and the rental crisis causes us so much anxiety and that’s not being hyperbolic,” she says. |
By 2050, she hopes to be happy and secure. “Hopefully I will have my own home and be in a job where I am helping people,” she says. “And I would like to think I will be married with children.”
Which sounds like a case of the more we change, the more we stay the same.
Advertisement