David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, Senator Ayres. Minister, I'm keen to understand how the voluntary national expectations that you released last week around data centres will be enforced and big multinational tech companies held to account for complying with them, given that when it came to the under-16 ban on social media the parliament had to pass legislation. It seems to me that when it comes to data centres we have some expectations on our website. How will this be enforced?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks for that question, Senator Pocock, which really goes to not just the announcement that I and the assistant minister, Dr Charlton, made the other day but also to the regulatory framework and investment from large proponents for data centres in Australia.

My starting proposition and the government's starting proposition on this is that we want to see not just investment here in Australia but investment that delivers for Australia. That means engaging with and making sure we capture the opportunities of artificial intelligence for the Australian economy in terms of not just data centres and digital infrastructure but also the rest of the technological stack, and the opportunities for Australian businesses and households. We released the National Artificial Intelligence Plan some months ago, and we indicated to the community that we would announce the investment principles, which we've called the expectations, a few weeks ago. We did that.

They go to prioritising our national interest, supporting energy investment, water sustainability, investing in skills and jobs, and strengthening research innovation and local capability. Of course the compliance rubber hits the road in the states, so the engagement with the states on their planning approvals is fundamental to us achieving our objectives here, particularly in terms of electricity. What this plan sets out very clearly is additional net electricity investment in terms of power purchasing agreements that provide for additional electricity in the system— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, just to clarify, you're saying that the states will enforce your expectations and that there is no federal mechanism to enforce the expectations? I'm concerned about that because Aussies also expect things like a return on our gas but don't get it. How are you actually going to enforce them?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The enforcement proposal is simple. These companies are seeking the federal government's support. Proposals that align with those expectations will receive the support of the federal government. Proposals that don't align will not receive the support of the federal government. The expectations will work alongside existing state and territory legislation, where the majority, as I started to say in response to the first question, of planning approvals—that will require the states and territories meeting with the plan and adopting those principles themselves.

The discussions that we've had as we've consulted with them about this and what they have had to say publicly about this give me a lot of confidence that the states—there will not be a race to the bottom amongst the states and territories. They are backing those principles and backing those expectations.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, I think Australians don't have much faith in big tech companies at all. These are companies that are happy to screw people for profits. I'm interested—if the proposal aligns, how do you ensure that the proposal then meets its commitments around water, around energy, around jobs? It's all well and good to say, 'Yes, we'll do that,' but how are you actually going to ensure that these companies are actually meeting what they say they are going to do?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We'll work with states and territories and market bodies to embed those expectations into, in particular, planning approval frameworks so that Australians can have confidence that a data centre that consumes a certain amount of electricity will underwrite power purchasing agreements that deliver additional electricity to what they consume, that there will be real and practical benefits for Australian companies, particularly in terms of research and development—building out own tech centre.

This technology is important for Australia's competitiveness. It is important for the health of Australians. It is important for our strategic position in the region. I accept absolutely that the reason the government has introduced the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, the reason we have announced these expectations and will embed them with the states, is to make sure that artificial intelligence investments deliver for Australians.