Thursday, 24 September 2026

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Data centres

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO, Ingrid STITT
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Data centres

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:32): (1508) My question is for the Minister for Health. Minister, this week the Victorian Labor government announced a new rule for a 150-metre separation zone between data centre buildings and homes. Data centres operate 24/7, and the potential health impacts of living near these facilities remain under-researched. Noise and air pollution are significant public health concerns, with exposure associated with increasing rates of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions and cancer risk. Minister, has your department undertaken any modelling or health assessment to determine whether 150 metres is sufficient to protect the health of these residents and where these hyperscale data centres are being built?

Ingrid Stitt: I will just seek your guidance, President, because whilst Ms Gray-Barberio has framed her question around health, these are not policy matters that I have responsibility for as the Minister for Health. This question should be directed to the minister for AI and economic growth.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Gray-Barberio, are you happy to direct it to the Minister for AI?

Anasina Gray-Barberio: I have a supplementary that I would like to ask the minister.

The PRESIDENT: The issue is that the minister can answer now, ‘It’s not my responsibility,’ and therefore your question and your secondary question would be moot. If you do direct it to the AI minister, it will be passed on. But it is nearly impossible to ask a supplementary to an answer that says ‘It’s not my responsibility’ under the standing orders.

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO: Can I rephrase my question?

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO: Minister, are you confirming you have had no input as health minister on these proposed data centres, given their health-related impacts?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:34): I thank Ms Gray-Barberio for her question. What I can say is that as a cabinet minister I have been involved in discussions about this policy matter.
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