Data Centres Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia—Manager of Australian Greens Business in the Senate) (14:30): My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. New York and Texas have imposed moratoriums on building new AI data centres. Meanwhile, leading tech CEOs Dario Amodei, Sam Altman and Elon Musk are now calling for urgent action to regulate artificial intelligence because of its potentially catastrophic risks to humanity. With American communities strongly rejecting data centres, Australia has now become a destination of choice for these big tech companies, because of—guess what?—our lack of regulation. When will the Albanese government introduce a moratorium on the construction of new AI data centres or ensure that its forthcoming AI legislation applies retrospectively so that Australians can be confident that the government is doing everything it can to protect them? Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:31): I have a few comments, before I get to data centres, on the introduction into your question, if I may, Senator Hanson-Young. The first point, which the Prime Minister has made, I've made and ministers have made, is the point that artificial intelligence will disrupt more, faster and more comprehensively than any previous technology, probably, in human history and that it has enormous potential benefits but also enormous risks. In fact, last year, at the UN Security Council, I made a contribution about the need to create agreed guidelines and agreed parameters for the deployment of AI, particularly in the context of conflict, because of the risks that are inherent in that to human beings. In relation to your question, I think that the point is that this is technology that we cannot avert our eyes from. It's technology for which we have to work out how we both keep Australians safe and spread the benefits. The Prime Minister, very early on, has signalled at the most senior level of government his intention to ensure that we approach this precisely with those two objectives in mind: how do we keep Australians safe, but also how do we ensure the benefits? He has made clear that we will be legislating Australian standards for AI which would ensure large data centres meet minimum requirements for energy, water and location and also ensure that we not only are technology takers but also have the capacity to engage constructively with this technology. That is why incentivising AI trading— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Hanson-Young, first supplementary? Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia—Manager of Australian Greens Business in the Senate) (14:33): The minister didn't even go anywhere near my question. I'll ask you again: there are dozens of data centres already in the pipeline awaiting approval or in development in Australia. Will the Albanese government commit to making your AI and data centre laws retrospective to projects already approved or underway, or will Labor allow corporations to rush through projects before there are any guardrails in place? Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:34): Our intention is to ensure that these guardrails and standards enable this technology and this infrastructure to be rolled out safely. We want to get it right, Senator. And with respect, I did answer your question. You had a very long introduction, and I responded in detail to that. What I would say to you is that we are very clear about the need to establish these Australian standards. Obviously, that's a very important technical task. We want to get it right because we understand this technology is something that has to be both managed and utilised safely. The PRESIDENT: Senator Hanson-Young, second supplementary? Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia—Manager of Australian Greens Business in the Senate) (14:34): These guardrails are of course important, but big AI are railroading communities now and getting their approvals for their centres now. Will your government either put in place a moratorium or make your laws retrospective? Otherwise, how can the Australian people trust you? Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:35): We have a set of data centre expectations, from which the Prime Minister has said we will develop Australian standards. Our intention is to make sure that these can be appropriately constructed and that they apply to the rollout of not only the infrastructure but also the principles I have outlined, which go to the technology more broadly. Again, we can't avert our eyes. We have to work out how we keep Australians safe but also how we best utilise the technology and enable our engagement with it constructively.