Interview on the Today Show

CHARLES CROUCHER, HOST: We're joined by Minister for Industry and Innovation Tim Ayres in Sydney. Senator, good morning. Thanks for your time. It all sounds, of course, like a step in the right direction, but what took you so long? 

SENATOR TIM AYRES, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE: Well, Australia will be a world leader here. This is the first national framework that looks like this in the world. It's just the same as Australia leading on social media regulation. We're now leading on artificial intelligence at the beginning of this big. 

HOST: I'll just interrupt you there for a moment. I'm Sorry, but the UK established an Office for AI in 2018. So, how exactly are we leading the world on this front? 

AYRES: Well, there's a mandatory framework here, mandatory legislative framework for data centres that provides real clarity that data centres are welcome investing here in Australia if they invest on Australia's terms, that means new electricity investments. So, the data centres are creating more electricity than they are using water security rules that suit Australia. This is Australia doing artificial intelligence the Australian way. 

HOST: In our national interest, the opposition claim this is just another level of bureaucracy. What's your response to that? 

AYRES: Oh, Charles, these guys are so negative, so oppositional, so partisan. There's a big set of challenges and opportunities here for Australia in artificial intelligence. We've set up an Office of Artificial Intelligence in the Prime Minister's Department, I should say, to coordinate all of this right across government touches every part of government, particularly these data centre questions. And all poor old Angus Taylor can do is complain about public servants doing this work. It's just juvenile, it's partisan, it's unsurprising. 

HOST: Well, it is a big challenge, as you say. How are you going to balance the demands of workers who are worried about job losses, which are already happening, with the need to attract billions in tech investment? 

AYRES: Well, Amanda Rishworth's leading this part of our work, our Workplace Relations Minister. Working with business, working with unions. Like a lot of these challenges, we've got to do it the Australian way. I worked in manufacturing workplaces for my career before I came into Parliament as a trade union official. I watched wave after wave of technology shaping Australian workplaces. And when it's done right, it's done together. Workers are given a voice, businesses are curious about adopting, and we work together to deliver the best outcome for Australians. And Amanda's leading that approach. 

HOST: There are concerns this morning from communities that have or have been earmarked for these data centres. I mean, they are big constructions, as you know, they take up energy and water and I know there's mandates around the outside of that, but would you be happy to have a data centre where you are this morning or in your backyard? 

AYRES: The Prime Minister was really clear yesterday, we want data centres in the right places and the standards will go to that. I mean, where I live there isn't, there isn't an inch of spare space. So, sort of an academic question. But the day before yesterday I was in the Upper Hunter Valley in Muswellbrook, at the Bayswater Power Station at the Mt Arthur Mine. And in those communities, those local councils are looking to deliver big data centre investments because what comes with that is new electricity generation, battery storage, industrial jobs, construction jobs and new investment in new manufacturing. So, we want to make sure as part of our Future Made in Australia plan for reindustrialising the economy, the data centres go in the right places and they deliver for local communities with local jobs, particularly, particularly in our industrial regions, that we want to see that kind of new investment in. 

HOST: Minister, great to chat with you this morning. It's a big challenge. I'm sure we'll speak plenty over the next few weeks. 

AYRES: Thanks, Charles. 

HOST: Thank you, mate. 

AYRES: Thanks, Sylvia. See you later.