Independent MLA Justine Davis moved the motion in NT parliament on Wednesday, calling for a moratorium on "all AI data centre developments" while an inquiry established under the Inquiries Act assesses the impact of data centres on electricity prices, water security, emissions and land use.
Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said a moratorium on "hyper-scale developments" should run until July 1 next year, with the findings of a review publicly released before it expires. In the previous sitting week in August, Labor's Deputy Opposition Leader Ed Smelt had moved a motion seeking an "independent review of data centres" and said a moratorium was not needed.
Ms Uibo cited the NT Environmental Protection Authority's "low level of confidence" in the environmental planning for a hyper-scale outback data centre as the reason for Labor's new position. "That is the independent environmental regulator telling all of us that the important questions for that specific project remain unanswered," she said. "The EPA has not concluded that the project must be rejected, it has concluded that more information, more assessment and more community engagement is necessary. That is precisely the kind of evidence-based approach that Territory Labor is calling for."
The Country Liberal Party government used its parliamentary majority to remove provisions for a moratorium and a review or inquiry from the motion, meaning neither will proceed. The CLP instead passed an amendment stating the NT is a signatory to national data centre standards, and commending the CLP "on its constructive, nationally consistent approach to this growth industry, in contrast with other approaches that will simply spread fear and misinformation."