By 2035 Australia will look different. Very different.

Faced with a population nudging 32 million, increasing demand from trading partners and rapidly evolving technologies and consumer behaviour, moving people and goods around our vast country will undoubtedly remain one of our nation’s biggest infrastructure challenges.

Against this backdrop, creating a future ready roadmap that responds to today and tomorrow is complex. How do we make our cities and regional areas great places for people to live and work? How can we balance sustained economic productivity and quality of life when faced with the ever-changing challenges presented by evolving consumer demands thanks to new technologies? Is it even possible?

While those involved in the freight and logistics ecosystem all play their role, a crucial part of any future solution lies in knowing what people want when it comes to moving themselves and their goods around. People don’t seek mobility for the sake of mobility, they seek it to fulfil a purpose.

To explore this we asked more than 1300 people (from the general public and industry) to imagine themselves in 2035 and tell us about where they had chosen to live, work, how they commute, what foods and goods they purchase and how they prefer things to be delivered. Here's a breakdown of the overall priorities:

Aurecon asked more than 1300 people to imagine themselves in 2035 what they want in their future transport network.

Aurecon asked more than 1300 people to imagine themselves in 2035 what they want in their future transport network.

For each response, we evaluated how cost, convenience and environment influence consumer and commuter choices. Overwhelmingly, the most important overall consideration when it came to future freight and transport decisions was convenience. Leading busy lives, the majority of respondents were drawn to anything that saved them time.

In today’s fast-moving society, immediate gratification is a highly sought-after currency for many people who are time-poor yet earning high salaries. In 2035 survey respondents:

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So, we want convenience, but at what cost?

How do we achieve the convenience people desire, without compromising the environment in which we want to live, the hip pocket, or people’s wellbeing and safety? How do we ensure that this is convenient for everyone, not just the few who can afford the luxury of convenience?

The survey data revealed some uncomfortable trends which can’t continue – from a culture of convenience to a major disconnect between what the general public dream for their future and what industry respondents dream for theirs.

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