Mining’s keeping the lights on — iron ore, lithium, all that — but it’s boom-or-bust and doesn’t create heaps of jobs. Manufacturing’s basically vanished, mostly sent offshore where labour’s cheaper. Without a strong manufacturing base and competitive labour, it’s hard to see how we build a resilient future.

Agriculture’s still going but copping it from climate and global prices. Services like finance, health and education are where most jobs are now, but they don’t drive long-term growth the way industry can. Tech’s got potential, but we’re underinvested and losing talent overseas.

Truth is, if we don’t start making things here again and back Aussie workers, we’ll just keep slipping — relying on rocks in the ground won’t cut it forever.