Kate Chaney (Curtin, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After asking hundreds of people their views on artificial intelligence while doorknocking in Wembley Downs on the weekend, I am proud to share the following contribution from young Curtin constituents Thomas Lenette and Minh Hoang, written for the Raise Our Voice program:

"Clankers." That's the new slur for AI and robots going viral online.

It's a joke, but it's also a warning: young people are anxious, facing unprecedented uncertainty about job security and human relevance in an AI-driven future.

But young entrepreneurs and changemakers are also already using AI to solve thorny problems—improving healthcare, advancing sustainability, even sparking creativity.

These stories prove AI's tremendous potential. But without clear direction, the risks are real: insecure work, unfair systems, and people left behind.

So what do we need?

A national plan for AI that puts people first. We need ethical frameworks and strong regulation. We need policies that protect job mobility, alongside real investment in education and training so young people can work with AI, not against it. And we need smart safety nets for when jobs inevitably change.

The government's choices today will decide whether Australians are empowered or sidelined tomorrow. Dignity, purpose and human relevance must remain at the centre of our future workforce and the economy we will inherit.

In ten years, we don't want "clanker" to be a slur. We want it to be a joke we laugh at—remembering how we turned fear into progress.

Thank you, Thomas and Minh.