STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator HODGINS-MAY (Victoria) (13:46): Who benefits from this data centre frenzy being pushed across Victoria? It isn't regular Victorians, who are facing higher energy prices and an increased risk of blackouts. It isn't the elderly people hospitalised when the power cuts out over summer.

It isn't farmers, traditional owners or our rivers when our states run out of water. It isn't the residents of West Footscray dealing with noise and air pollution or their kids experiencing higher rates of asthma. It sure isn't the communities around the proposed Port Melbourne data centre or firefighters worried about NEXTDC's plan to store millions of litres of diesel and tonnes of lithium ion batteries onsite; nor will communities near the proposed Plumpton AI data centre benefit.

They face a development the size of 175 MCGs. Think about that for a moment. Who does the AI data frenzy really benefit?

Only a handful of billionaire tech bros, that's who. Labor is putting American tech billionaires' profits ahead of regular Australians'. And we've had it.

They are selling us out for nothing. The AI bubble is driving inflation. It's stealing land, resources, labour—all things that we need to combat the housing crisis.

It is costing jobs and devouring artists' and creatives' work. Labor is steamrolling communities and bypassing consultation in a rush to sell us off. Instead of hospitals, better transport and infrastructure for our communities, we're getting hot little computer boxes that nobody asked for.

But communities are fighting back right across Victoria. They are saying, 'No way, we are not giving up our air, our water and our power for these tech billionaire jerks.' Councils including Maribyrnong, Hume, Melton and Brimbank have already passed moratoriums on new data centres. The Greens are leading this fight with the community.

We are fighting for a moratorium on all AI data centres. Let's govern this country for Australians, not tech billionaires. (Time expired)