Building AI Infrastructure With Communities in Mind

As Australia considers new national standards for large data centres and AI infrastructure, Engagement Institute is calling for meaningful community engagement to be embedded in planning and decision-making from the outset.

In a submission to the Australian Government’s Getting it right: Building AI infrastructure that works for Australia consultation, Engagement Institute has welcomed the proposed standards while recommending stronger requirements for public participation, transparency and accountability.

Why early engagement matters

Data centres and AI infrastructure can create significant demands on electricity, water, land and local services. For affected communities, questions about resource availability, costs, noise and cumulative impacts can be just as important as the economic opportunities these developments bring.

Engagement Institute’s submission emphasises that communities should have opportunities to influence important decisions before preferred locations and infrastructure arrangements are finalised.

It also highlights the importance of engagement continuing throughout construction, operation and significant project changes.

Four priorities for stronger engagement

Engagement Institute recommends that the proposed national standards:

• Require early and ongoing engagement, beginning while planning, site selection and resource decisions remain open.
• Make engagement transparent and accountable, with publicly available engagement plans and evidence of how community input has influenced decisions.
• Recognise First Nations rights and interests, through distinct, properly resourced and culturally safe engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Traditional Owners.
• Address cumulative impacts and community benefits, supported by qualified engagement professionals, ongoing evaluation and accessible complaints processes.

What this means for infrastructure professionals

For practitioners working across major infrastructure projects, the submission reinforces the importance of considering engagement requirements alongside technical planning, approvals and project delivery.

This means identifying affected communities early, clearly explaining what people can influence and demonstrating how their input has been considered.

As Australia’s AI infrastructure sector develops, Engagement Institute is advocating for national standards that recognise meaningful engagement as an essential part of responsible infrastructure planning and delivery.

READ ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE’S FULL SUBMISSION