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Data Centre Onslaught, Marinus Update, Council Elections, and More....

Sep 28
16 min read


Hi Everyone,

 

In this update, we will first look at an announcement that has sent fresh shockwaves through Tasmania: SIX new AI data centres could be coming our way, with few details currently being released to the public. We'll also discuss the upcoming Council elections, and an important event being held by the Tasmanian Greens. Plus, there is a great new interview with Sheffield farmer Wade Rockliff, as well as information about a very important public consultation now underway, and also an update on our Marinus legal challenges and the looming legal battle over AI data centres. We'll finish off with a few additional items, including our latest press releases concerning the NWTD transmission project.

 

Six New Secret Data Centres... How many more to come?... and how do we stop them?

 

Let's start with the bad news. As if the four previously-announced data centre projects weren't enough, we are now hearing that six more are being explored in Tasmania. These data centres are in addition to the three controversial Firmus AI factories and the Burnie Viridis data centre. Little is known about the new projects, except that two of them have already reached the feasibility stage, meaning that a specific site has already been identified. We're not told where, exactly, except that one of them is to be in Northwest Tasmania. The proponents behind them are currently being kept secret.

 

The expected energy requirements are huge. The two largest data centres of the new batch are planned to use 200-300 MW each, and if all six go ahead they will use an expected minimum of roughly 500 MW. It should be ringing alarm bells for everyone that data centre after data centre is being announced, even though the majority of Tasmanians oppose them. Our concerns about energy and water use, among other issues, seem to be falling on deaf ears – and we're left wondering, how many more data centres may follow?

 

It is also becoming painfully obvious that trying to stop these projects individually one by one is not going to work. They'll just keep popping up like mushrooms, particularly if Marinus Link is ever built. In a Renew Economy article published last year that has since been deleted, the CEO of Marinus Link Pty Ltd announced that Marinus will enable "database industries", because it is not only an energy cable but will also come bundled with fibre optic cables that will have a bandwidth capacity more than 150 times the capacity of all current data fibre cables in Bass Strait. (That is much more than the Bernacchi-1 cable Firmus is planning to build, which would roughly double connectivity to the mainland.)

 

Altogether, there are currently ten publicly-known data centres in Tasmania at various stages of development, from concept through to construction. Imagine fighting each of them in Court! Our own group, Tas Power Democracy, has been through two TASCAT cases and now the Supreme Court as we continue to fight Project Marinus, and one thing we can honestly say is that it is very, very difficult – and expensive. Literally tens of thousands of dollars have gone into fighting this project, which is actually a very modest sum considering that we are now on our third Marinus legal challenge, and have self-represented through two of them.

 

This is not meant to discourage anyone, but just to shine a light on the harsh reality: trying to stop every single data centre in Court will almost certainly fail, especially when we're up against powerful, well-resourced opponents in a legal system that tends to favour the developer. That is not to say that legal challenges serve no purpose. Quite the contrary! They are an incredibly useful means of delaying these projects in the short to medium term. However, long term, we need a different strategy.

 

What actually works

 

Arguably the most effective way of stopping the coming onslaught of data centres is to make sure there is not enough energy and fibre optic data connectivity for them to operate in Tasmania. In other words, starve 'em out. This is a remarkably effective strategy that has actually worked elsewhere. An Informa Connect article reports:

 

"Overseas, network constraints have already seen several cities reject development applications for new data centres, despite the economic advantages they bring. In Dublin, Equinix was recently denied a planning appeal to develop a data centre at Profile Park, an amendment to its previously granted approval for the DB8 infrastructure. More recently, Google's application to build another Dublin data centre was rejected by South Dublin council, which cited, 'the existing insufficient capacity in the electricity network (grid) and the lack of significant on-site renewable energy to power the data center'. Ms Whitelaw says Australia could see the same fate, unless appropriate action is taken. 'We could, if we're not careful, get to the point where we are having to turn proposals down and forego the economic benefits data centres can bring which will turn away the data centres operators to other markets in the APAC region'".

 

In other words, if there is not enough surplus energy available for data centres, proposed projects will not be able to get off the ground. We won't even have to fight them! That is one of the reasons we are working so hard to stop Project Marinus through both legal and political means. Without Marinus, the Government's entire ambitious energy plan for Tasmania collapses, and data centres along with it.

 

Tasmanian Greens State Conference in Burnie


Date/Time: Oct 24th, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM


Location: Burnie Arts Centre, 77-79 Wilmot St, Burnie

 

The Tasmanian Greens will be holding their annual state conference next month, and this year it's in Burnie! – which means that many of us here in Northwest Tasmania should be able to attend. This is a great opportunity even if you don't normally vote for the Greens and have never attended a Green party event before, because the 2026 conference will have a big focus on AI data centres. According to the event description: "This year, our focus is on the fights that will define the next few years – our forests, AI data centres, and building our people-powered movement in local communities."

 

No other political party has taken on the issue of data centres as strongly as the Greens, which makes it especially important to come along to their state conference in October if you possibly can. It will be a fantastic opportunity to share ideas and make connections with others – both politicians and ordinary Tasmanians – who care deeply about preventing the harm that data centres would bring to our state.

 

It should be a fun event too. In addition to addresses from Greens MPs and Senators, there will be Q&A panels, and workshops on forests, AI data centres, and local activism. Catering for the whole day will be provided. Plus, there will be some activities planned for the night before, "including a guided walk to McGowans Falls in the Tarkine and a penguin viewing at the Burnie Little Penguin colony".

 

It should be an awesome event, packed with activities and good conversations, so come along and bring others with you!

 

 

 

Council Elections!!!

 

The candidates in the upcoming Council elections have been announced! If you have not already done so, head on over to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website, and see who's running for office in your municipality. As mentioned in our last news update, this year's local government elections are super, super important. The people we elect will make critical decisions about our future at a time when big changes are being proposed for our state, so let's take a little time to learn about the candidates and think very carefully about how we vote. We have seen, for instance, what happens when Councillors are willing to approve a data centre proposal against strong community opposition. We have also seen that Councillors are capable of voting against such projects when they want to, like the single George Town Councillor who voted against the Firmus AI factory (though his motives might require closer scrutiny before being trusted). There is much that motivated, conscientious local government representatives can do to prevent bad outcomes and make our lives better if they really want to. The key is to elect people who care about us, ordinary Tasmanians, rather than big business.

 

The Burnie Council elections deserve a special mention, because Marinus Link infrastructure and critical portions of the NWTD transmission line are planned to be located in the Burnie municipality. The current Council is a disaster. They voted unanimously to approve the Marinus converter stations and switching station at Heybridge, and about the best accomplishment they can show us is the $1.25 million "French fry monstrosity" sculpture that confronts us every time we drive into Burnie. It looks more like a taxpayer-funded advertisement for McDonald's than a respectable piece of city art.

 

Have a look at who is currently on the Council, and consider very carefully whether any of them truly deserve to be reelected – or whether it might be better to replace them all with some fresh faces. Keep in mind that Burnie Mayor Teeny Brumby is an especially strong supporter of Marinus Link, and she also excitedly announced the new Burnie AI data centre on her Facebook page last year.

 

The good news is that we have several interesting-looking candidates in Burnie to choose from this year. One of them is Adrian Pickin, who is running for Mayor. He has previously worked within the utilities industry and opposes Marinus Link. In an email he sent to our group when running in the 2025 Legislative Council elections, Adrian Pickin wrote: "Marinus Link and associated wind farm developments are being rushed through without sufficient scrutiny or public mandate. Tasmania should not be turned into a mainland energy battery at the expense of our communities, landscapes, and long-term affordability. I stand with Tasmanians who demand transparency, fairness, and true environmental stewardship."

 

Wayne Bramich is another candidate for the Burnie Council worthy of attention. He is a self-employed earth moving contractor who has come out in support to a number of our events and public meetings, including the AI data centre/Marinus meeting at Wesley Vale in July, and the NWTD landholder meeting last October. Some of you may also remember seeing Paula Kirkpatrick at some of our events. She is likewise running for the Burnie Council and supported us at our public meetings, including the one at Wesley Vale as well as the Northwest REZ meeting in Stowport a couple years ago. She spoke up and said a few words at both events. One additional possible candidate to consider is Rosie Putland, a member of the Tasmanian Greens. Her focus is on making Burnie "genuinely welcoming – accessible streets and walkways, free and reliable public transport, investment in community centres and youth spaces, and a Disability Advisory Group". She has also worked for Vanessa Bleyer, who was our lawyer in the Marinus TASCAT appeal before becoming a Senator.

 

The choice of how to vote is a very personal one, but no matter how you ultimately decide to mark your ballot, let that decision be a well-informed, carefully considered one. There is too much at stake this year to take the Council elections lightly or vote in a rush. Also, as you learn more about your local candidates, be sure to share that information with others in your community. We're all very busy, so the more we can share our research with others, the easier the task becomes for everyone.

 

Stealing Farmers' Land and Woolies Bans Local Beef

 

Earlier this month, Sheffield beef farmer Wade Rockliff gave an interesting interview in which he paints a disturbing picture of where Tasmanian farming finds itself now, and where it is headed:

 

Stealing Farmers Land & Woolies Bans Local Beef


 

Wade spoke of how Project Marinus, and the NWTD transmission line in particular, has led to farmers being taken advantage of. He told of how landholders were approached during a severe drought, when some were struggling just to afford feed for their livestock, and were made an offer they couldn't refuse: a lump-sum payment in return for hosting a high-voltage transmission line on their property. What little they gained financially, they lost in property rights, with wide transmission easements sometimes stretching as much as 100 metres across, and the energy operator ultimately having control over what happens on that land, including potentially whether farmers can run irrigation pivots or machinery underneath the lines. Meanwhile, the landholder continues to pay rates on the land. Those landholders who continued to refuse a voluntary agreement ultimately faced compulsory acquisition of easements over their property.

 

And what do Tasmanians get from this noble sacrifice? We get to pay the multi billion-dollar bill for the new energy infrastructure, while profits flow to AI data centres and foreign-owned wind farms. As if that weren't bad enough, Woolworths has now announced that from 2027 it will no longer stock Tasmanian beef. The timing is interesting – just as Project Marinus is due to be built, with wind farm companies to swoop in soon thereafter with financial offers to farmers for hosting turbines on their land – Woolworths says it won't take their beef.

 

It is a very bleak and sad scenario: desperate farmers producing "green" energy on prime farmland instead of food for Tasmanians to eat... But it doesn't have to be that way. We can still stop Marinus and protect our farmers, and we can vote with our feet and buy from local butchers rather than from Woolworths. Nothing is inevitable. There is much we can still do if only we are willing to put in the effort.

 

Please share Wade's video with all your networks.

 

Important Public Consultation: Draft Expectations for Data Centres and AI Infrastructure Developers


Deadline: The consultation period closes at 11.59pm on Monday 12 October 2026


 

 

There is currently an important public consultation underway on the Draft Expectations for Data Centres and AI Infrastructure Developers. This is a set of expectations that the Tasmanian Government is developing, which will apply to large data centre developments including AI Factories, hyper-scale data centres and multi-site developments by a proponent.

 

Now, our primary goal of course remains to stop AI data centres from being built in Tasmania in the first place, not just to regulate them. However, we also have to recognise that the AI developers got a head start: Firmus is already building its Launceston AI factory, and two other AI facilities have received Council approval. As public opposition starts to catch up, it is still better to have a strong set of expectations for AI developers to follow in the meantime than to let them run wild and do whatever they like.

 

Therefore, let us make the most of the opportunity to contribute to the public consultation. There are two ways to do so. You can fill out a survey on the website, and you can also upload a written submission. It's best to do both. Even if you're very busy, a short one-paragraph submission expressing the most important points is better than none at all.

 

 

Update on Legal Battles: Marinus and AI Data Centres

 

As discussed above, legal challenges are a very important part of the overall work to stop Marinus and data centres. At the moment, our group is in the middle of a Supreme Court appeal against the NWTD transmission component of Project Marinus. We had a setback early on in the appeal. The Judge did not give us the stay we had been hoping for on the project, and TasNetworks issued an Order to Proceed to its head contractor Genus. Nevertheless, we're not giving up. We are continuing with the main appeal while also actively investigating and pursuing other legal avenues of stopping project construction from taking place.

 

Our most recent Court appearance on 24 September went well. There was a danger that our appeal could have been set aside if the Grounds of Appeal were found to be incompetent. However, we got through that hurdle, and the Judge accepted our Amended Grounds of Appeal. We're now shifting focus to preparing all the documents needed to present our case effectively. If you would like to support us as we continue our work, please click the link below to our 'Save Tasmania from Marinus Link and AI Data Centres' GoFundMe crowdfunding page:

 

Save Tasmania from Marinus Link and AI Data Centres**


 

**Quick suggestion: when making a donation through GoFundMe, you may see a slider asking if you would like to add an optional tip to GoFundMe. After entering your donation amount, you can move the slider all the way to the left to 0% if you do not want to pay anything extra — this does not affect the amount of your donation.

 

The outcome in our other legal challenge against the proposed Marinus infrastructure at Heybridge is still unknown. The TASCAT hearing in that case concluded on 23 June, and the Tribunal reserved its decision. However, three months have now gone by, and we still have no decision. Strange, very strange.

 

Bell Bay Firmus Data Centre

 

The fight against AI data centres has now also entered the legal phase. Following the George Town Council's approval of the Bell Bay Firmus AI factory, some residents and at least one community group are planning to appeal the decision in the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT):

 

Northern Tasmanians prepare to fight George Town Council AI data centre approval


 

We applaud their courage and determination in what will surely be a very hard, fierce battle. What we're seeing is truly shaping up to be a standoff between the Tasmanian Government and AI and energy developers on one side, and ordinary Tasmanians seeking to protect their communities on the other.

 

Interestingly, Firmus has also lodged a TASCAT appeal against the George Town Council's decision. Even though Firmus got the project permit it wanted, it apparently didn't like a council condition placing restrictions on use of its 276 on-site diesel generators. According to the ABC article, the condition specified that the "generators must run only during an unscheduled failure or interruption to the mains electricity supply; during a routine inspection, testing or maintenance; or in response to a genuine emergency". The condition prohibited using the generators "to provide electricity during normal operations, or to augment the mains electricity supply". That sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

 

Firmus did not think so. In its appeal, it called the condition "unreasonable" and said the rule would stop it from using generators during periods of "energy market stress". In other words, if energy market prices climb too high for Firmus' liking, it would prefer to turn on its diesel generators whenever it wants to rather than pay the higher price – while the surrounding community must breathe in diesel fumes. How lovely!

 

It should serve as a stern warning of what's to come if powerful, profit-driven AI developers are allowed to gain a foothold in Tasmania.

 

Wesley Vale Firmus Data Centre

 

There is some very concerning news regarding what Firmus may have been up to at its Wesley Vale site. The proposed AI factory has not even received Council approval yet, but some local residents reported seeing workers doing what looked like excavation on the property, which goes beyond the vegetation removal, weed control, dust suppression, etc. allowed under an approved forest practices plan. Following the alleged reports, the Latrobe Council ordered Firmus to stop work at the Wesley Vale site while the matter is being assessed. The Council said that Firmus agreed to comply.

 

The Firmus Development Application for its Wesley Vale AI factory was originally planned to be assessed at the La Trobe Council's October meeting. However, that is now looking increasingly unlikely. Following community concerns, the Council made a formal application to the Planning Minister to declare the data centre a major project, which would require it to be assessed by the Tasmanian Planning Commission rather than the Council.

 

Latrobe Mayor Peter Freshney said, "We, as planning authorities, have to assess under an antiquated act [that is] unable to consider those things that primarily concern our constituents," and, "It's not necessarily appropriate for development applications that are highly technical, as in the tech sector, that are complex, that have potentially significant environmental impact and significant impact economically." According to Pulse Tasmania, the Council is also asking the Government for urgent changes to the state's planning rules and will additionally ask the Environment Protection Authority to assess the proposal.

 

Yet the Tasmanian Government seems very reluctant to declare the data centre a major project. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has said the data centre can be accommodated within the existing planning scheme.

 

We'll see who wins.

 

Additional News and Items

 

AI Data Centre Survey

 

A recent poll found that 54% of Tasmanians oppose data centres (with 32% strongly opposed):

 

More than half of Tasmanians oppose AI data centres, EMRS poll finds


 

Only 25% of those surveyed support data centres. The remaining 17% neither supported nor opposed them, and 5% were unsure. Interestingly, Liberal voters were the only group in which more than half of those surveyed were in favour of data centres.

 

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Firmus Gossip

 

Firmus is expected to float its shares on the Australian Securities Exchange next month, with reports suggesting it could raise up to $7 billion. The company is growing rapidly, aiming to have seven AI data centres across Australia and Asia within the next two years. Firmus has previously faced questions over just how Australian it really is, considering that it is headquartered in Singapore (despite being an Australian-registered company). We perhaps just got our answer: Roxy Jacenko, celebrity wife of CEO Oliver Curtis, has been based in Singapore for the past three years and is now selling her luxury Sydney office at a deep discount, saying "a move back to Australia isn't on the cards".

 

As the family leaves the rest of us behind, community opposition in Tasmania to the Firmus data centres remains. Perhaps hoping to win public support, Firmus has announced a six-year sponsorship deal with the Tasmania Devils AFL team. Experts say sponsoring the Devils could help the company's image, but some Tasmanians remain sceptical, saying it is an attempt to buy social licence.

 

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Pressure on the AI Issue in Parliament – and Why It's Not Enough

 

Members of both Houses of Parliament have been making the Tasmanian Government feel the fire on its energy and AI data centre policy. Michael Gaffney MLC asked an excellent set of detailed questions, and a reply has now been provided by Tania Rattray MLC (Leader for the Government in the Legislative Council). You can also read speeches made in Parliament by Vica Bayley and Tabatha Badger on AI data centres, as well as another speech by Vica Bayley on Tasmania's failed energy policy (Hansard pages 111–113).

 

This is a good start. However, there is one point of concern worth drawing attention to: in their speeches, Vica Bayley and Tabatha Badger both seemed to suggest that data centres in Tasmania are okay so long as they are properly regulated. Vica Bayley said: "We’re not opposed to data centres - we just want to understand exactly what they’re going to mean for Tasmanians," and, "This is a really critical point, because what we are seeking here is guardrails to ensure that the commitments that are being made can actually be delivered."

 

Tabatha Badger expressed a similar idea: "Tasmania’s advantage as a place for AI infrastructure and data centres will still be there in a year's time, but we can make sure that there are guardrails in place and that Tasmanians finally actually have an opportunity to have their say on how they want these centres to be put up in Tasmania and to make sure that the Tasmanian community gets the benefits that they deserve."

 

Both statements are somewhat disappointing, particularly since survey results show the majority of Tasmanians oppose data centres (and only 11% of Greens voters support them). Regulation, or "guardrails", will not solve the underlying problem that AI data centres are a very exploitive industry, creating few jobs, paying little tax, but using enormous amounts of energy and water. Data centres will also require more wind farms to be built to offset their energy use, which is very damaging to farmland and sensitive environments. That is why our group believes that data centres need to be stopped altogether in Tasmania, and not just regulated... This might be a good issue to bring up at the Greens' State Conference in October.

 

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Our Press Releases on the NWTD Project


Finally, to finish off our email news update, have a look at our latest press releases:

 

Honour Your Word – Minister Duigan Urged to Halt NWTD Works During Supreme Court Appeal


 

Marinus – Has the Clock Run Out on NWTD?


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