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Public Matter

Issues · Climate and environment

Rules for data centres

Votes on whether to set strict environmental conditions on new data centres.

Votes on whether new data centres must use renewable energy, save water and avoid raising household bills.

How the 25 MLAs voted

6 always for · 15 always against · 4 not in these votes

Based on 4 recorded votes. For each vote we show which side counts as “for” this issue, and count how often each MLA voted on that side. This describes how they voted, not whether they were right.

What this can’t tell you

  • Most decisions in the Assembly are made on the voices, with no names recorded. Only recorded votes appear here.
  • Many of these votes are on changes to someone else’s motion. Voting against a change can mean “not like this” or “not funded yet”, not opposition to the idea.
  • Summaries say whose proposal each vote was on, so you can see when an MLA voted on their own motion or amendment.

Not yet checked. The plain-English summaries and the links between these votes and this issue were drafted with AI help and haven’t been checked by a person yet. The votes themselves are exactly as recorded in Hansard.

Each MLA

Squares show each vote, oldest first: for, against, not voting.

Always voted for (6)

Always voted against (15)

Not in any of these votes (4)

  • Chiaka Barry · Ginninderra
    Canberra Liberals    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Elizabeth Lee · Kurrajong
    Canberra Liberals    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Marisa Paterson · Murrumbidgee
    Labor    Not in any recorded vote on this issue
  • Yvette Berry · Ginninderra
    Labor    Not in any recorded vote on this issue

The votes

  1. 1. 24 September 2026 · Energy—data centresNot yet checked

    Mr Emerson's changes on data centres, adding warnings about higher bills and water use and applying the standards to centres approved before the new rules start. They were voted down.

    Voting Aye counts as for this issue. They would have added stronger conditions.

    Result: Ayes 6, Noes 15. Who voted each way

  2. 2. 24 September 2026 · Energy—data centresNot yet checked

    Greens changes requiring data centres to use 100% renewable power and closed-loop water cooling. They were voted down.

    Voting Aye counts as for this issue. They would have added strict environmental conditions.

    Result: Ayes 6, Noes 15. Who voted each way

  3. 3. 24 September 2026 · Energy—data centresNot yet checked

    A Liberal rewrite of a Greens data centre motion, as changed by Labor, focused on attracting investment while not passing energy costs to households. It passed.

    Voting No counts as for this issue. It replaced the Greens' strict conditions with an investment-focused approach.

    Result: Ayes 15, Noes 6. Who voted each way

  4. 4. 24 September 2026 · Energy—data centresNot yet checked

    The final data centre motion, in its rewritten form. It passed.

    Voting No counts as for this issue. The final motion no longer included the strict conditions.

    Result: Ayes 15, Noes 6. Who voted each way

What Canberrans said about climate and environment

15%picked “Taking climate action and switching to clean energy” as one of their top three priorities for the ACT Government
60%of everyone surveyed agreed enough is currently being done about it

What they most wanted

  • Support energy-efficiency upgrades/electrification of buildings62%
  • Protect and restore the natural environment57%
  • Stronger regulations and policies to reduce emissions53%

From the 2025 Community Priorities Survey (ACT Government, YourSay Panel, summary report, april 2026), carried out 21 October to 4 November 2025: 1,801 people answered. An opt-in panel of Canberrans aged 18 and over, with extra young people recruited through a second panel, weighted by age, gender and region to match the 2021 Census. “What they most wanted” is out of the 283 people who picked this area; each could choose up to three. This shows what people told one survey. It isn’t a vote, and it doesn’t say how any MLA should vote.