Tasmania’s Premier says data centre developers who want to build in Tasmania will need to contribute to the communities that will be affected.
Jeremy Rockliff says they’ll be required to pay the state government for the Local Community Benefit Fund, with the money raised set to pour directly into communities in the same region as the planned centres.
“If a community hosts a major development, that community should share directly in the benefit,” he said.
”It will apply to all data centres, that are going through approval.
“For example, there’s one under construction at St Leonards, and it will include that data centre.”
Exactly how much they’ll pay is still to be decided.
Meanwhile, proponents will also be required to be transparent about their power and water usage, and to contribute to Tasmania’s energy generation.
Labor Leader Josh Willie criticised the state government’s plan for lacking detail.
He also took aim over how strictly developers would be held to the power generation requirements.
“We want to see new power generation here on the island, so Tasmanians benefit from the jobs and economic activity,” Mr Willie said.
“You’ve got Firmus now saying they’ll count generation projects on the mainland towards their contribution.”
