Policy, Power & Opportunity: Property Council to host Victorian Data Centres Summit with industry's brightest minds
Later today, the Property Council of Australia will host The Data Centres Outlook: Policy, Power & Opportunity, bringing together the brightest minds across the development industry to discuss the contemporary trends, opportunities and challenges facing the rapidly growing Data Centres sector in Victoria.
The half-day summit will feature presentations from Invest Victoria, Lendlease, Centuria Capital, Colliers and NABERS, with panel expertise exploring the evolving landscape, including key policy and regulatory considerations in workforce, planning, infrastructure, design and sustainability principles.
Property Council Victorian Executive Director Cath Evans acknowledged the exponential growth of the sector in recent years and the essential importance of coordinating policy to ensure a balanced and diversified development pipeline.
"The recent Victorian Budget confirmed that Data Centres now represent more than 60 per cent of commercial building approvals in Victoria," Ms Evans said.
"It is more important than ever that all corners of government and industry come together to realise the opportunities of Data Centres, while pragmatically incorporating strategies to mitigate potential impacts to communities."
"Particularly essential is the solving of modern-day challenges - from developing a skilled future ready workforce, to proactive planning and infrastructure initiatives that unlocks development ready land, and innovation to meet our sustainability needs," said Ms Evans.
Ms Evans also welcomed the government's proactive efforts to roll out the red carpet for global data centre investment but emphasised that this momentum must be extended more broadly across the entire development sector.
"Given ongoing construction cost escalation and rising interest rates, Victoria's persistently burdensome tax landscape is preventing global investors from delivering the critical volume of capital needed to build our homes, jobs and services.
"To keep Victoria moving, the industry needs legislative clarity and investment attraction for all sectors," Ms Evans said.
Through its advocacy, the Property Council will work with the Victorian Government to realise the state's economic potential through the growth of the data centres sector, while remaining steadfastly committed to protecting community outcomes and balancing the ongoing need for diverse asset delivery.
"To support a healthy sector, strengthen community resilience, and maintain a balanced development pipeline, we need holistic, investable and flexible policy and regulatory settings that accommodate the evolving nature of data centre development."
"Acknowledging the astonishing contribution and intelligence of the industry's brightest minds, the Property Council is pleased to be facilitating today's conversation to explore opportunities for positive policy reform," Ms Evans said.
