Farmers and residents in the Adelaide Hills are fiercely opposing a proposed multibillion-dollar data centre at Tungkillo, east of Adelaide. Developer Quantum DC plans a 1200-megawatt facility across a 220-hectare site, with infrastructure on about 120 hectares and the rest kept for grazing. Locals fear harm to livestock, pollinators and the natural environment. They object to the proposed 15-day public submission period under the state's Essential Infrastructure assessment process and have started a petition. Quantum DC says environmental and heritage studies are underway to minimise impacts.
NextDC chief executive Craig Scroggie has agreed to give up annual bonuses worth up to $7.5 million. The data centre operator's board directors will also take a 10 per cent voluntary fee cut, and a proposed pay rise has been withdrawn. The move follows a delay to expansion of its M3 data centre in West Footscray, which led to earnings guidance being slashed by $140 million. Shares fell last week, wiping $3 billion off market value.
A gas-fired power station proposed for Moss Vale could be shut down once the grid can power an onsite data centre, a court has heard. Developer Nakar Property is appealing after Wingecarribee Shire Council refused its application for the 16-megawatt plant. Barrister James Smith said the plant is needed for constant power, and that gas use would stop once grid supply is secured. The council's barrister, Michael Staunton, argued the grid option had not been properly investigated and that the project would lack firm supply for two years.
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Consultants for an AI data centre company have been cold-calling residents in north-west Tasmania to buy their land, the Greens say. Greens MP Vica Bayley raised the matter at a state parliamentary energy committee hearing, naming Nook, near Sheffield. Acting Coordinator-General Dennis Hendriks said a proposal in the north-west is moving forward and is at an early stage. The government says no final site has been confirmed and that the proposal remains under consideration by the proponent. Farmer Wade Rockliff said consultants were offering well above land values and warned of tension with neighbours.
Data centre company NextDC has blamed delays in increased power supply to its M3 data centre in West Footscray for cutting more than $100 million from its earnings forecast. Its shares fell more than 40 per cent to an eight-year low of $5.48 in early trading on Wednesday 21 October. Chief executive Craig Scroggie said power company Jemena paused network upgrades after community and council opposition, and the increase is now expected during FY28. Jemena paused the roll-out of 15-metre power poles across the inner west in September.
NextDC has cut its revenue and profit forecasts for the current financial year after delays to power network upgrades at its West Footscray data centre in Melbourne. Its share price fell 40 per cent after the announcement to the stock exchange. The company said energy supplier Jemena had suspended parts of the network works needed for a future increase in grid supply. Local residents, who have opposed the centre over diesel and noise concerns and the installation of tall power poles, have called for compensation and remediation.
Shares in data centre operator NextDC fell more than 40 per cent on Wednesday after returning to trade following a suspension. The ASX200 still finished the day in positive territory. Reserve Bank deputy Andrew Hauser said the central bank faces tough choices, as a growing share of businesses think higher inflation may be the new normal. This has raised expectations of a rate hike in November.
A power problem at a Google Cloud data centre in London disrupted services across Europe for hours. Banks, websites and court live streams were affected, with UK institutions hit hardest. Customers of Revolut and Halifax reported trouble accessing their accounts and apps. Court live streams, including the trial of Russell Brand, also went down. Google says services have been restored for most customers and that it will investigate the cause.
National Australia Bank has announced plans to reduce its workforce by as many as 2,500 positions, equal to roughly 6 per cent of its staff, with the cuts due to take effect by mid-2027. The announcement weighed on the bank's share price during the session. Separately, trading in NextDC, a local data centre operator, has been halted pending an announcement that appears connected to a disagreement over power poles in a suburban Melbourne street. The day's business coverage includes further market commentary from specialist reporters.
Data centre company Firmus drew national attention after it did not finish its plan to list shares on the ASX. Investors and journalists examining the firm found a range of financial and governance problems behind its public claims. The episode was described as an unusually open moment for an AI-focused business. As Australia keeps moving through the AI boom, the case prompts a broader question about whether Firmus is an isolated case or a sign of wider industry practice.
Singapore-based developer Zerra DC says its proposed $32 billion Western Downs Digital Park near Dalby could operate even during the worst droughts. The four data centres would be air-cooled and draw water from rainwater collected from their roofs, not bores or town water. Chief data centre officer Matt Ward said modelling showed enough rainwater would be caught even in 2019, when Dalby received less than 200 millimetres of rain. Zerra DC has committed to 1,500 construction jobs per year and 1,400 ongoing operational jobs.
Gregadoo residents say they feel blindsided after a second data centre was proposed for the Wagga Wagga suburb. Company IREN plans a facility worth more than $10 billion on Redbank Road, adding to a $15 billion Canberra Data Centres proposal. Residents raised concerns about noise, fire risk, water use and the electricity grid. Wagga Council voted to negotiate a sale of council-owned land at 232 Ashfords Road to CDC, with three councillors not supporting the move. The development remains subject to NSW Government assessment and approval.
A data centre has been proposed for north Wyong on the New South Wales Central Coast. Such facilities are becoming a contentious development in many communities as artificial intelligence expands.
The Central Coast Greens have repeated the federal party's call for a moratorium on AI data centres. They say the pause should begin now, before the proposed Wyong data centre goes ahead.
Three Wagga councillors did not support a move to sell council-owned land at Gregadoo to CDC Data Centres. Councillors Mike Henderson and Jenny McKinnon voted against the motion, and Amelia Parkins abstained. They raised concerns about a lack of information and community consultation. The majority vote allows the general manager to negotiate community commitments before the sale proceeds. The vote does not approve the data centre, which the NSW Government will decide.
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Topgolf says it has saved over $11.3 million after switching from VMware to VergeOS, a virtualisation platform made by VergeIO. Topgolf replaced 650 VxRail hosts with about 400 Dell PowerEdge servers in about six months. Forehand said hardware spending fell by 87 percent, while software costs dropped by 77 percent. Topgolf also secured a five-year enterprise licence agreement, compared with the three-year deal VMware reportedly offered. VergeIO says most of its new customers are moving away from VMware.
Wagga Wagga City Council has resolved to authorise its general manager to sign a contract selling land at 232 Ashfords Road, Gregadoo, to CDC Data Centres. The sale is conditional on CDC providing community benefits worth at least $150 million, with a further $75 million separately proposed. The council bought the land in November 2024 for future waste management needs. The proposed data centre would cover about 63 hectares and include 384 backup diesel generators. Residents have launched petitions over fire risks and rural impacts.
Greens preselected candidate Sam Ryot is contesting the Wagga Wagga seat against independent MP Joe McGirr at the March 2027 election. Ryot says public housing is the best way to address housing needs, and he opposes the proposed $15 billion Gregadoo data centre, arguing it will not help build homes. He supports government-owned supermarkets to compete with Coles and Woolworths on price. Ryot also says the Greens can appeal to voters drawn to One Nation who are frustrated with the major parties.
