2026-11-04
The Victorian Greens have welcomed a major intervention from Victoria's peak local government body, which has backed the Greens' call for a moratorium on new and expanding data centres.
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), representing all 79 Victorian councils, has passed a resolution calling for an immediate halt to approvals for new and expanded data centres until a comprehensive planning and environmental framework is established.
The Greens say the decision is a damning indictment of Labor's failure to listen to communities who have been raising the alarm about the enormous energy and water demands of data centres, their impact on local neighbourhoods and the loss of land desperately needed for housing.
Despite mounting community opposition, Labor has continued to facilitate the expansion of massive data centres, including through planning processes that allow developers to bypass local councils.
The Greens introduced legislation to establish a moratorium on new and expanding data centres in August and have been calling for stronger protections for communities, including compensation for residents impacted by existing developments.
Quotes attributable to the Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens and spokesperson for AI and data centres, Dr Sarah Mansfield:
“How many more warnings does Labor need? The Greens have been calling for a moratorium for months, and now councils across Victoria are demanding the same thing.
“Labor has well and truly run out of excuses for letting big tech corporations railroad our communities.
“Labor has arrogantly ploughed ahead with its obsession to make Victoria Australia's data centre capital, treating our communities like guinea pigs in a reckless experiment with our electricity, water and housing.
“Victorians shouldn't have to sacrifice housing, water and energy security for Labor's reckless obsession with turning Victoria into a playground for big tech billionaires chasing a quick economic sugar hit, while leaving communities to bear disastrous consequences on their doorstep for generations to come.”