The Victorian Greens have renewed calls for an immediate moratorium on new data centres after plans were lodged for a massive $6 billion, 480MW data centre north of Geelong.
The proposal was reportedly lodged through Labor’s fast-track planning system on the same day Premier Ben Carroll announced new rules supposedly designed to rein in Victoria’s data centre boom.
The proposed facility would cover almost 40 hectares of farming land and store 3.6 million litres of diesel on site for backup power. The Greens say the proposal exposes a gaping loophole in Labor’s new rules and shows its fast-track approvals system is completely unfit for purpose.
The Greens have introduced legislation for an immediate moratorium on new large-scale data centres. Every single Labor MP voted against it.
As stated by Victorian Greens spokesperson for AI and data centres Dr Sarah Mansfield:
“Labor announced tough new rules for data centres and on the very same day a $6 billion mega data centre sailed straight into their fast-track system. What a joke.
“This proposal would consume an extraordinary amount of power, cover almost 40 hectares of farming land and store 3.6 million litres of diesel on site. Yet Labor is still fast-tracking it.
“This exposes the gaping loophole in Labor’s new rules. You cannot claim to be cracking down on data centres while keeping the fast-track conveyor belt running.
“We need a moratorium now. Not another review, not another set of rules full of loopholes – just stop approving these enormous projects.
“Labor has had every opportunity to stop this data centre frenzy and has refused. If Victorians want to stop new mega data centres, they need to vote Greens this election.”
