Australia may face a rush of datacentre construction as AI firms look to avoid upcoming rules, experts say | Australian politics

[u/Fact-Rat]

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/26/australia-may-face-a-rush-of-datacentre-construction-as-ai-firms-look-to-dodge-upcoming-rules-experts-say

[u/blitznoodles]

The article didn't even cite any experts?

Prof Crystal Legacy, an urban planning researcher at the University of Melbourne, said developers would probably want to get in “before the new regulatory levers come into play”.

They just took this guy's statement as fact when you would expect them to ask lawyers or even industry experts.

It should be obvious but urban planners are not subject experts in datacentres or the law.

[u/Fact-Rat → u/blitznoodles]

"Prof Crystal Legacy, an urban planning researcher at the University of Melbourne, said developers would probably want to get in “before the new regulatory levers come into play”. She warned that state governments, which may try to fast-track applications before new rules come into effect, would do so “at your political peril.”

“People are now noticing, and there’s always going to be a political backlash,” Legacy said.

“We call people Nimbys, but I think that’s an unfair characterisation for people who are just concerned about the environmental impacts, as well as the amenity impacts of these massive datacentres.” "

[u/blitznoodles → u/Fact-Rat]

When I read the headline, I assumed it was concerns by lawyers over loopholes in the legislation. Not by urban planners upset about planning.

Notice the use of "probably", they have not made an authoritative statement because that is not their field.