Data centres
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Your every swipe, tap and click goes through one of these buildings. They are also driving the NSW economy
Data centres are “depicted as energy vampires, water hogs and job killers”. Not in Australia, according to the peak body for the tech super hubs.
- Matt Wade and Alexandra Smith
Latest
- Opinion
- Trump's White House
Trump just paid $1.3b for nothing
The Trump administration did something that, even by its standards, was unusual.
- Stephen Bartholomeusz
West Footscray data centre bids to double in size amid ‘nightmare’ construction
One of the biggest facilities in the city is eyeing a $750 million expansion, as the company seeks fast-track approval to meet booming demand.
- Gemma Grant and Clay Lucas
Data centres should back renewable transition to ensure priority under new guidelines
Advocates say the massive amount of energy and water required to run AI tech nodes poses a risk to Australian resources and energy security.
- Brittany Busch
Data centres in space? That’s less crazy than you think
Elon Musk and other tech leaders explore building data centres in space to overcome terrestrial constraints, with launch costs and satellite efficiency key factors.
- The Economist
From jail to the C-suite: The AI firm co-founded by a former insider trader
A $6 billion business co-founded by Oliver Curtis and his cousin Tim Rosenfield has attracted blue-chip backers. But not everybody is convinced.
- Kishor Napier-Raman and David Swan
- Exclusive
- Melbourne
The energy vampire next door: Life next to an AI mega-factory
Billions of dollars are pouring into data centres to fuel the AI revolution but residents and experts warn the state is ignoring the hidden cost to power, water and peace.
- Clay Lucas and Daniella White
- Exclusive
- Development
‘Speculative’ surge: The $260m fight over western Melbourne’s AI boom
There are staggering predictions of data centre growth and electricity use in Melbourne’s west. Not everyone is buying the hype.
- Daniella White
- Series
- Information security
The cost of the cloud: Inside Australia’s data centre boom
Hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent building data centres all over the planet, as all of us flock to AI. But at what cost?
- Exclusive
- Victoria
$1b data centre given planning tick in just 75 days as state gets cosy with big tech
Victoria fast-tracked a $1b data centre in Port Melbourne through planning in 75 days, as its jobs minister met technology chiefs 16 times in 2025, as the state goes all in on big tech.
- Clay Lucas and Daniella White