Policy / Setting conditions
Australia
Australia is moving from voluntary expectations towards mandatory national standards for large data centres.
Government expectations released with the December 2025 National AI Plan ask developers to put national interest first, support the energy transition, use water responsibly and invest in local skills, with prioritised approvals for those that comply. On 26 August 2026 National Cabinet endorsed mandatory, nationally consistent standards for energy, water and land use, with legislation expected in early 2027. State and territory approvals continue to apply.
Power and grid
The expectations release refers to developers sharing grid connection costs and supporting energy flexibility.
The rules and programmes
| Instrument | Kind | Status | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data centre expectations | Policy | in force | Non-binding; the government says it will prioritise compliant projects in regulatory approval processes. |
| National Cabinet agreement on mandatory data centre standards | Law | proposed | Agreed 26 August 2026; standards to sit in legislation expected in early 2027, complementing state and territory processes. |
Checked against the primary sources linked above on 2 October 2026. Due for review by 1 January 2027. This is a summary, not legal advice. If something is out of date, tell us.