As you surf from what you are reading now to some story happening on the other side of the world to emailing your relatives in Britain or India, pause a moment to reflect on what happened exactly 150 years ago.
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On August 22, 1872, the first message on the Overland Telegraph Line was sent. The line spanned 3200 kilometres between Darwin and Adelaide, with a line to Western Australia added in 1977. When it was linked to what is now Indonesia by submarine cable, the communication time to Europe dropped from months to hours.
Station masters based along the Overland Telegraph passed messages along the line in Morse code.
The South Australian superintendent of telegraphs sent the first message: "I trust this great undertaking will increase the trade, and develop the varied resources of the colony, and prove the pioneer of still greater works, uniting more firmly the various Australian colonies to each other and them to the mother country. God save the Queen!"
In our more hurried current times, Anthony Albanese has been worrying about jobs even though the rate of unemployment is at its lowest in 48 years.
"The skills have changed, so we need to change that training to match the skills," he told reporters ahead of the jobs and skills summit next month.
Mr Albanese outlined the 10 professions with the most dire worker shortages, including nurses, chefs, early childhood teachers and electricians.
Construction workers and civil engineers also made the list, as did other caring professions, such as child care workers, and aged and disability carers.
Tomorrow, Mr Albanese will be focusing on the former job of Scott Morrison. The Solicitor-General is to deliver a report on how the former prime minister appointed himself to five ministerial portfolios.
The situation continues to develop. It has been learnt that industry projects approved by Mr Morrison as part of a grants program could have their funding removed after a federal government review.
After the controversial self-appointments, the then prime minister approved 17 projects as part of the modern manufacturing initiative just before the election.
Of the manufacturing projects, more than half were in electorates held by the Coalition while just three were in safe Labor seats.
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Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
