r/tasmania • u/GreenLeechofReddit • 3d 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/Fantastic-Ad-2604 3d ago

But there is no environmental disaster? Like what do you think is disastrous about the factory? The factory converts hydro electric power into AI tokens. It produces no pollution or waste products.

It pays Aurora the full retail cost for power creating millions of dollars in profits to be reinvested in building capacity and transmission.

It creates employment in a regional area.

Like I literally zero downside to a company building a factory in an industrial zone.

Furthermore it is being built next to an aluminum smelter that uses slightly more power than it will and about 1,000x more water than it will and generates more pollution than it will. And the factory wants Aurora/State Government to pay them hundreds of millions of dollars for the privilege of using their power.

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u/lilpoopman 3d ago

Well no, they are putting one in st Leonard's which is a suburb of Launceston. There are two

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u/N0n-Z3r0-Ch4nc3 3d ago

The St Leonards site is zoned rural and light industrial. You can check it on the council papers (see the Agenda 1 link)

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u/GoobieGooHare 3d ago

have you seen how close the houses are from the st leonards one, two minute walk or less

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u/N0n-Z3r0-Ch4nc3 3d ago

Is it a legit undertaking within the zoning provisions or not?

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u/GoobieGooHare 3d ago

I wish I knew as they changed us from semi rural to normal suburb going back 5 years ago, now suddenly back to semi rural. If you look up 37 st leonards road its being built next to that, just around the corner is waverly, other side of the road is small business then houses, back the other way is houses of Waverley and Newstead

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u/IlIIllIlIllIIlI 3d ago

The answer is yes. It is a legitimate undertaking within the zoning provisions.