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Latest / Chips, compute and energy

PolicyComputeGovernmentFrontierAustraliaConfirmed

Australia consults on mandatory rules for data centres over 30MW and frontier AI training

See how this story connects

Source: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet: Getting it right, building AI infrastructure that works for Australia

The Office of AI in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet published a consultation paper on minimum requirements for large data centres, covering a renewable electricity obligation, water efficiency, no net costs for consumers and communities, siting and workforce skills. It proposes no requirements under 30MW, baseline requirements from 30 to 100MW and stronger ones at 100MW and above. It also asks about conditions for frontier AI training in Australia, including safety and security expectations, incident disclosure and protections for creators and rightsholders. Submissions close at 5pm AEDT on 9 October 2026.

Why it matters

Anyone planning a data centre of 30MW or more in Australia, or training frontier models there, would face these conditions once the standards are legislated.

When
17 Sep 2026
ID
WTA-N-2026-0104
Who
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office of AI (Australia)
Rules involved

Summary by wheresthe.ai, from Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Checked against the source on 9 Oct 2026.

Read the original at Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Source copy: download the page text as saved on 18 Oct 2026 (PDF). Also held by the Internet Archive.

Next stop on this Storyline: Elsewhere: InternationalNVIDIA introduces DSX POD, containerised Vera Rubin AI factories built in the factory and delivered in early 2027

Data to measure this

Compare the years before 2026 with the years since in these series.

  • Epoch AI: frontier AI data centresEpoch AISite-level timelines of IT power, compute (H100-equivalents) and capital cost for large AI data centres.live · download · CSV
  • IEA Energy and AI dataInternational Energy AgencyWorld and regional data-centre capacity, power usage effectiveness, load factor and electricity use.download · XLSX
  • TOP500 supercomputer listTOP500.orgThe 500 most powerful computer systems, ranked twice a year, with country, site and hardware.Years: 1993-2026 · semi-annual · query tool · Covers before and after

All data for Australia

Cite this story

WTA-N-2026-0104: “Australia consults on mandatory rules for data centres over 30MW and frontier AI training.” wheresthe.ai, 17 Sep 2026. https://wheresthe.ai/d/au-ai-infrastructure-standards-consultation-2026-09/ (source: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet: Getting it right, building AI infrastructure that works for Australia).

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