Australia’s biggest business group has warned MPs against restricting data centre construction, telling a Senate inquiry the country “needs a data centre plan, not a data centre panic”.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (ACCI) submission to the inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centres says blanket restrictions, moratoriums or one-size-fits-all rules would drive investment offshore without solving energy, water or planning constraints.
ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar pictured at Parliament House last year. Alex Ellinghausen
It comes as communities across the country fight new developments over water use, noise and consultation, and as the inquiry’s chair, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, argues for a moratorium on new builds until regulation catches up.
ACCI is calling for “source-neutral” energy decisions for data centres, arguing a diverse energy mix delivers better prices and reliability. That position aligns it with the Queensland and NT governments.
Chief executive Andrew McKellar said Australia could seize its share of the AI opportunity, but only if economic settings were correctly set.
“We also must ensure Australia has policy settings that enable the responsible growth of data centres, not stand in their way,” he said.