Australian politicians and business leaders are saying that the growing public concern over the expansion of AI datacentres is being unfairly shaped by events in the United States. Like the US, Australia has seen rising community opposition to the construction of large datacentres, which are essential for running artificial intelligence systems. However, supporters of these centres argue that Australia's growth in this area is smaller and more regulated than in the US, and that the negative reaction is partly due to the influence of debates and media coverage from the US, which have spread through social media platforms. The backlash in the US began strongly last year, and by 2026, similar concerns had taken hold in Australia. This has led to calls for a temporary stop on new projects, community protests, and three official government inquiries. State governments, eager to attract investment, have generally supported the expansion of datacentres, sometimes bypassing local approval processes due to the scale of the projects. In July, Victoria’s former minister for economic growth, Steve Dimopoulos, said that while Australia is growing its datacentre industry faster than the most populous state, New South Wales, the negative public sentiment was being shaped by US media and developments. He emphasized that Australia’s energy and water systems are more controlled and regulated than those in the US. Industry leaders have also criticized the backlash, saying it is based on misleading comparisons with the US. Belinda Dennett, head of the Data Centres Australia lobby group, argued that the concerns raised about datacentres in Australia are often based on the much larger US industry, which operates under different conditions. She pointed out that the US has far more datacentres and significantly greater capacity, and that the challenges faced there—such as high energy and water use—do not directly apply to Australia. Dennett warned that these issues are being transplanted into Australian discussions without considering the local context. Despite this, some experts believe the concerns raised by the public are valid, especially given the rapid pace of datacentre construction in Australia. Trending videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram highlight local worries, including a large datacentre planned for Melbourne and another in the Northern Territory that would use gas for power. These projects have raised concerns about energy use and environmental impact. The Australian government has responded by planning to ban the use of gas to power datacentres and requiring new renewable energy sources to be used instead. While legislation on these rules is expected next year, some are calling for a temporary pause on new developments until proper regulations are in place. Meanwhile, many of the datacentres in Australia are owned by foreign companies, raising concerns about whether Australia will benefit economically from the industry.