House debates Questions without Notice

Data Centres

Thursday, 29 October 2026 House of Representatives

Chris Bowen

Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

2:15 pm

As the Prime Minister has indicated, we are absolutely determined to make sure that the very significant pipeline of data centre investment in Australia is in the best interests of Australians, and that means ensuring that these data centres bring their own new energy. That energy should be the cheapest form of energy, which we all agree with and which is a good thing, and I'm sure honourable members will therefore agree with the approach of the government. The approach of the government, agreed through the energy ministers council, is to send a rule change to the Australian Energy Market Commission, which has gone. If it's approved by the Australian Energy Market Commission, it will require new data centres to bring their own new energy with a particular focus on renewable energy, with, as I'm sure honourable members would agree, gas as an appropriate peaking and firming facility. It's a sensible approach.

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