The Victorian Greens say that Labor has rolled out the red carpet for big tech companies, approving a boom in hyperscale AI data centres without adequate protections for local communities, cultural heritage, the environment or Victoria’s renewable energy transition.
It comes after reports the Allan Labor Government is considering fast-tracking two more mega-projects in Truganina and Mickleham in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, via the government’s Development Facilitation Program.
AI data centres consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, can require fossil fuels backup generation and place significant pressure on local infrastructure while only creating a handful of ongoing jobs.
The Victorian Greens are calling for a moratorium on all new data centres until mandatory standards are in place to protect communities, the environment and the state’s energy supply.
the Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:
“AI is the new extractive industry and if Labor keeps giving big tech corporations like Meta, Amazon and Palantir special treatment without the right rules in place, they’re going to take our resources and leave Victorians with very little to show for it. It’s the great big gas rip off 2.0.
“It’s our communities that suffer with more trucks, air pollution, risks to drinking water and more expensive energy bills because we haven’t planned for how to feed these energy hungry data centres – keeping Victoria hooked on coal and gas.”