The ACT Greens will move for a temporary moratorium on new data centres until the government finalises its Data Centre Framework, arguing stronger rules are needed to protect Canberra’s water and energy supplies.

Greens Air and Water spokesperson Laura Nuttall says the framework should ensure new data centres do not increase household water or energy costs, are powered by additional renewable electricity and provide demonstrable benefits to the community.

The government announced last month it was developing the framework, which will set rules for where data centres can be located, how proposals are assessed and requirements covering energy, water and other infrastructure. A draft is expected in early 2027.

Ms Nuttall’s motion also calls for community consultation, including with Traditional Custodians, before the framework is finalised.

“Around the world, we’re seeing data centres demand more power, more water, and more land, while local communities are left carrying the impacts,” Ms Nuttall says.

The Greens are also pushing for waste heat from data centres to be considered for community uses, pointing to overseas examples where it has been used or explored for heating buildings, homes and swimming pools.

The proposal follows Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s rejection of locating data centres at Canberra’s public swimming pools. Mr Barr says waste-heat recovery could offer energy-efficiency benefits but does not justify putting data centres on suburban aquatic sites.

Ms Nuttall disputes that the Greens proposed putting data centres at public pools, saying the party instead wants companies using ACT land, water and energy to provide benefits to the community.

“The Chief Minister is shadow-boxing with a proposal nobody made,” she says.

The motion is due to be debated in the Legislative Assembly tomorrow.

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