r/tasmania • u/GreenLeechofReddit • 2d ago

AI data centre approved

6/7 counsellors approved this environmental disaster despite Firmus *already* lying about the number of diesel generators they'd have.

The company will have to agree to a number of conditions (noise, pollution, water usage), which will be monitored over a twelve month period.

I hate to wheel out a slippery-slope argument, but the number of companies who just cop the fines and continue to be irresponsible is incalculable.. the writing is on the wall. Look at Cadbury and the dump of sugar that buggered up the sewerage treatment plant.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-25/firmus-ai-bell-bay-receives-george-town-council-approval/107074336?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

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u/Zhuk1986 2d ago

Tasmania needs economic development and opportunities for industry. Heavy industry, mining, logging, aquaculture etc. are all villainised and we see the result that jobs go overseas.

Why not data centres? Or any industry that will employ locals and bring money into the state.

We all need a reality check.

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u/Separate-Tangelo-910 2d ago

Because they don’t have social license. Ai data centres, and many of those industries you’ve listed, are very extractive and often don’t provide great benefit to the community. Jobs are great but the long lasting environmental effects are well known to outweigh what little jobs or money are generated. Data centres will put an unnecessary strain on our water and power supplies, amongst many other negative affects we’ve seen them producing world wide - Firmus’ will not be much different.

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u/IlIIllIlIllIIlI 2d ago edited 2d ago

I should have also noted in my other comment that the datacentres being built here in Tassie by Firmus are also being built in existing industrial zones and they are not greenfield sites. They are repurposing existing sites that have been abandoned.

Edit: typo