Australia's next economic boom could leave workers behind as robots take their jobs, the nation's shadow treasurer has warned.

Speaking at the Queensland Media Club on Friday, former Rudd government treasurer Chris Bowen said there was a danger that post-mining boom Australia could leave workers in its wake.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Bowen said Australia needed to produce "good, high-skilled, well-paying jobs in what some have called the second machine age", but it would prove to be a challenging prospect.

"When you buy your groceries these days, the chances are you use an automatic check out machine and you won't actually interact with a human being," he said.