Adelaide Hills Protesters Drive Home Message to Quantum DC

Several political parties backed the protest group. They included the SA Liberals, the Greens, One Nation and independent federal MP Rebekha Sharkie.

Farmland and fire risk

Local farmer Kym Gladigau said the proposed area is prime land for food production. He pointed to farmland already lost at Mt Barker and Virginia.

He also raised bushfire fears. "We cannot afford another big bushfire in the Adelaide Hills, and who is going to tackle it?" he said.

Liberal leader Ashton Hurn, who spoke at the rally, agreed the area should be reserved for farming. She said the state has a finite amount of prime agricultural land and must protect it. Hurn also said the community has to be brought along as data centres develop.

Greens seek a moratorium

Greens leader Robert Simms said his party is moving a motion calling on the government to reject the proposal. The party also wants a statewide moratorium, meaning a temporary ban, on data centres.

"We don't want to see South Australia become the test dummy for the nation," Simms said.

Government response

Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said he was "very disappointed" with the Tungkillo developers. He criticized how they engaged the community and said the company never approached government about the plans.

"I'm the energy minister and the treasurer. They've never spoken to me, and you would've thought the first door you'd knock on is the government's," he said.

Koutsantonis rejected the idea of Australia going without data centres. He said that without its own, the country would be a price taker rather than a price setter.

The state government says it is developing legislation to deal comprehensively with the rollout of data centres. Koutsantonis set a firm condition on the power grid. "Data centres have got to have almost no impact on the grid for them to operate in South Australia, and until that time is achieved, we won't license them," he said.