Friday, 28 August 2026

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:52): (2569) My constituency question is to the Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, and it relates to significant community concern over the planned Campbellfield data centre in my electorate. A number of constituents have reached out to my office and walked into my office, sharing strong concerns over the environmental and local amenity impacts associated with the construction and operation of the proposed data centre facility. Data centres are essential to Victoria’s future; I note the protest for this data centre was even made with AI. However, like any industrial process, they should be located in appropriate industrial areas and be subject to proper and meaningful planning and community consultation. Personally, I am not of the belief that the government has got the balance right. Similar to the waste-to-energy inquiry, you have got the government fast-tracking data centres and their own candidates and MPs campaigning against them. Many residents in Campbellfield and Broadmeadows feel that their views have not been adequately addressed. My question to the minister is: what is being done to ensure the concerns of local residents and council are being properly considered?