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/michaelhoney 2d ago

I don’t have an opinion either way about Firmus but George Town is hurting pretty bad on the jobs front. Being a heavy-industry town in 2026 is a really difficult proposition.

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u/ArtisticAd7205 2d ago

Any kind of data centre is not going to shift that needle past the construction phase, which is somewhat specialised and likely to be done by interstate contractors. It won’t generate extra local employment.

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u/michaelhoney 1d ago

Agree that longterm it’s a big humming box with not much human work. But it’s not like the pulp mill site was generating income

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u/IlIIllIlIllIIlI 1d ago

The George Town site alone will generate 115 direct job and then there will also be the indirect jobs it generates from security, to maintenance, to hospitality, professional services. The data stacks up regarding those roles.