Thursday, 10 September 2026

 Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Jobs, Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, Minister for Defence Industry) (10:21): My community is deeply concerned about the rollout of data centres in the west. I want to make it clear, firstly, that the proposed Spotswood data centre has not been approved, and without any guardrails for emissions, noise standards, fuel storage and power and water usage, nor should it be. We need a framework that guides the development of data centres and protects community amenity first and foremost. I appreciate the work that the responsible ministers have done in making sure that we get those guardrails in place and there are considerations there rather than something that panders to tech bro cowboys.