Name: Senate Environment and Communications References Committee - Melbourne, VIC (part 1 of 2)
Uploaded: 2026-09-22T23:15:00+00:00
Duration: 21600 s

20:07 - 23:07

Speaker 4

I open this second hearing of the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee's inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centers. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land upon which we meet and pay our respects to their elders past and present. I extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's here today. These are public proceedings being audio streamed via the Parliament House's website and a Hansard transcript is being made. If there are no objections, could everybody please put their mobile phones onto silent.

We've got media in the room today and you know the rules about where you're allowed to shoot from and not, so let's try and all be able to manage in this space which is a bit echoey, so we're just going to have to, if we need to get people to repeat things we will. I remind all witnesses that in giving evidence to the committee they are protected by parliamentary privilege. It is unlawful for anyone to threaten or disadvantage a witness on account of evidence being given to the committee and any such act may be treated by the Senate as contempt. It is also contempt to give false or misleading evidence. The committee generally prefers evidence to be given in public, but under the Senate's resolutions, witnesses can ask for evidence to be given in a private session.

The Senate has resolved that an order of the state department shall not be asked to give opinions on matters of policy and shall be given reasonable opportunity to refer questions asked of the superior officers to superior officers or to a minister. The resolution does not preclude questions asking for explanations of policies or factual questions about how and when policies were adopted. Of course, if a witness objects to answering a question, they should state the ground upon which that objection is made and the committee will determine whether we insist on an answer, having regard for the reasons for that claim. If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request that the answer be given in camera. I remind senators of their obligations under the behavioral code of Australian parliamentarians to treat all witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect.

For those who take questions on notice, our return date for questions on notice will be Wednesday the 7th of October. Now, I now welcome representatives from the Citizens of Tottenham and Say No to the proposed Plumpton AI Data Center. I understand information on parliamentary privilege has been given to you. What I need you all to do is give us your full names and the capacity in which you're appearing and we'll start from this end and we'll move down the table. So just your name and who you're representing.

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