The Liberals failed to rule out sweet deals for water and energy supply to Firmus and AI data centres in Parliament.
In July, AI infrastructure construction company Firmus accidently disclosed on their website that they were seeking water for their Wesley Vale AI Factory from Tas Irrigation. An email chain from April 2026 obtained under RTI also shows they had spoken to ‘TI’.
We asked TasWater in GBE hearings last year if they would be supplying water to AI factories. They said ‘no’. In the RTI are emails discussing water supply issues for Firmus’ Bell Bay site, with the company asking whether it would be necessary to ‘politically pressure TasWater’ for supply.
Under questioning from the Greens, the Minister for Water could not present any plan for water supply to these resource intensive facilities. The huge question remains: what is the plan for water supply to any AI data centres in Tasmania?
Later in Question Time, the Premier did not rule out a Power Price Agreement for energy supply to Firmus.
Firmus has three AI factories proposed in Tasmania planned to consume over 440MW, nearly 25% of the state’s power, but the only arrangement Firmus have signed is a three year deal for 104MW at their St Leonards site. While Firmus say they will pay the equivalent of double the new generation of power they require, there are no regulatory or legislative obligations on them to do so.
The absence of binding guardrails on big tech infrastructure to protect Tasmania is a choice from the Liberal Government to back in chequered Firmus over Tasmanian people. This is why Tasmania urgently needs a moratorium on all unapproved AI and data facilities until regulatory and legislative guardrails are in established.
