Data centres in NZ: Jobs creators or destroyers?
The New Zealand Green Party is advocating for a one-year moratorium on new AI data centre consents to establish better regulatory oversight. Concerns center on the massive energy and water consumption of these facilities, which critics argue could drive up costs and strain local infrastructure.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure and the environmental and economic sustainability of local communities.
The Greens are calling for a one-year pause on consenting for new AI data centres so rules and regulations can be put in place.
Data Grid has consent to build a data centre in Southland . Once it's up and running, it will be the second-largest electricity user in the country and have permission to draw more than 600,000 litres of groundwater each day.
The policy came out of the Green Party AGM over the weekend. They also launched the official campaign slogan, 'For all of us.'
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said on Monday they were hearing "real concern from communities, including those in Southland, who have had this Data Grid centre consented behind closed doors ".
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in