The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) has welcomed the Australian Government's announcement of national standards for AI infrastructure, saying it is an important step towards ensuring Australia can capture the economic opportunities of artificial intelligence while protecting communities, infrastructure and the environment.
Representing Australia's urban and regional planning profession, PIA said the Government's commitment to develop Australian Standards for AI, building on the Expectations of Data Centres and AI Infrastructure and working with states and territories, reflects the nationally coordinated approach the Institute has been advocating for.
PIA National CEO Matt Collins said Australia's AI ambitions would require the same level of strategic planning as other nationally significant infrastructure.
"We welcome the Australian Government's leadership. Data centres are becoming critical national infrastructure that will underpin Australia's AI capability, digital economy and future productivity. Issues such as energy demand, water use, digital connectivity and infrastructure resilience don't stop at state borders. National standards are what's needed to provide certainty for governments, industry and communities."
Mr Collins said the next step would be working with states and territories to embed those standards into planning systems across Australia.
"While the Commonwealth is setting the national direction, land use planning is primarily a state, territory and local government responsibility. Strong partnerships between all levels of governments will be essential to ensure new standards translate into better planning outcomes."
"Data centres should be planned for through strategic planning, including regional plans, local planning schemes and infrastructure strategies. Planning ahead helps identify the right locations, coordinate infrastructure investment, manage cumulative impacts and ensure these facilities are resilient to future climate risks."
PIA said the standards being considered by National Cabinet will present an opportunity to establish nationally consistent expectations that can be implemented through planning systems across Australia. PIA encourages governments to ensure the standards:
- establish nationally consistent expectations for energy efficiency, water use, climate resilience and infrastructure impacts;
- support states and territories to modernise planning frameworks for data centres and AI infrastructure;
- establish a national evidence base to monitor the cumulative impacts of data centre growth on energy, water, land and infrastructure systems.
"Good strategic planning enables better investment decisions. When governments identify suitable locations upfront and establish clear expectations, infrastructure providers and developers can coordinate investment, industry has greater certainty, and planning systems can operate more efficiently."
"PIA looks forward to working with governments across Australia to help ensure the new standards deliver well-planned AI infrastructure that supports Australia's long-term prosperity."
ENDS
Note: PIA recently released a Data Centres Guidance Note to support planners and policy makers in planning for Data Centres.
Contact: Nicole Bennetts, 0420 241 163, [email protected]
About PIA: The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) is the home of Australia's planning profession and the national voice for planning. Representing thousands of professional planners across Australia, we work to strengthen planning policy, build professional capability and support the planners who help create better places for everyone. As an independent professional association, PIA advances planning in the public interest. Our members are individual planning professionals committed to creating better communities, providing an independent voice distinct from organisations representing development or other industry interests.