The Greens held a public meeting in Hobart to discuss the community’s concerns over AI and data centres in Tasmania. The community across our state have real concerns about the impact of AI data centres on the community and environment and are calling for the Liberal Government to put safeguards in place.
Over 100 people attended a Greens community forum in Hobart to share what we know, hear people’s views and talk about we can do about AI data centres in the state. Cassy O’Connor MLC, Vica Bayley, MP and myself spoke, alongside Mae Tanner, EDO Managing Lawyer, and John Devereaux, energy consultant.
The Liberals have rushed ahead with plans for AI data centres without talking to the community whose resources, energy and water, these huge factories consume. The looming question remains – what tangible benefit will Tasmanians get from having these AI factories in our state?
Community concern about the impacts of AI data centres has been growing. There’s a lot of unanswered questions about how they’re going to operate in this state.
The Greens have a petition that has over 8,200 signatures calling for a moratorium until guardrails are in place. The motion passed at today’s meeting reinforced this need. The meeting unanimously passed two motions:
- The meeting calls on the Rockliff State Government to implement an immediate moratorium on all AI and data centres in Tasmania, until legislated and regulatory guardrails have been established in consultation with the Tasmanian community; and
- The meeting calls on the Rockliff Government to establish a state energy strategy in consultation with the Tasmanian people.
