00:01Maurice Collins isn't afraid to pick a fight over plans for a 120-hectare data centre a few
00:10kilometres from the front door of his Tonkilo farm. There's been uproar from locals since
00:20Quantum DC's proposal was revealed last month. Mr Collins among those calling for more scrutiny
00:26of the sector but the government is ruling out widening the scope of its AI Royal Commission.
00:32Data centres won't change people's lives what will change people's lives is the way that AI is used.
00:38I sort of disagree with that because it might be safe right now. The Premier says the government
00:44already has a data centre strategy which it's now looking to legislate. It's not complex the
00:50questions around data centres are where do you build them you know they shouldn't be built in
00:54places that are immediately adjacent to communities where they live where they can affect their lives.
01:00Whether the Tonkilo centre will go ahead remains to be seen. Plans haven't yet been formally lodged.
01:06Their concerns must be heard and given proper weight when we consider these projects.
01:13By playing down the impact of data centres the Premier is taking a political risk. Across the
01:19world governments are dealing with fierce public backlash over the energy hungry facilities
01:23particularly in the US where support for them can be a political liability. Tonkilo now shaping
01:30as a test case for how that plays out here.
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