Data centre development must not come at the expense of due process, opposition MP says
Nicola Centofanti argues for the inclusion of data centre development rules in a South Australian Royal Commission into artificial intelligence.
The following is the author’s personal opinion.
The proposed 220-hectare Tungkillo data centre is significant in both its scale and potential impact, raising concerns that deserve answers, not dismissal.
The South Australian Liberal opposition supports investment and economic development, but we also believe that communities deserve transparency, accountability and due process.
Development and community confidence should go hand in hand.
Data centres are an increasingly important part of our digital economy, and there is no doubt they can bring investment, jobs and economic opportunities to South Australia.
But economic development must never come at the expense of proper scrutiny, environmental protection or the rights of communities to have a meaningful say in decisions that affect them.
Local residents have raised legitimate questions about water resources, agricultural production, livestock, pollinators, environmental impacts and the future of surrounding rural industries.
These are not minor considerations.
They go directly to the livelihoods of families and businesses that have invested generations into their communities.
Tungkillo is not alone.
As demand for data centres grows, governments across Australia will face increasing pressure to facilitate major developments quickly.
But speed must never become an excuse to bypass proper planning, assessments and consultation.
No government should fast-track approval pathways to sidestep the scrutiny that developments of this magnitude demand.
It is for all these reasons that the state Liberal opposition has been calling on the government to include data centres in its terms of reference for the Royal Commission into AI.
With $3 million of public funds committed to the Royal Commission, it is illogical to ignore the many important issues about where and how data centres could be built.
Community consultation must be meaningful, transparent and heard.
Importantly, it must come before decisions are made, not after approvals have been granted.
The message to government is simple: listen to the community, answer its questions, undertake the necessary independent assessments and let the evidence guide the decision making.
Liberal MP Nicola Centofanti is the leader of the state opposition in the Legislative Council.
