DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
Shadow Minister for Regional Communications
Member for Mallee

Amazon and Australians depend on 24/7 Australian reliability – on communications and energy

Tuesday 17 June 2025

Amazon’s expanded data centre infrastructure commitment - now AUD$20 billion in Australia over the next four years, is a very welcome vote of confidence in Australia and underscores the need for baseload energy generation, Dr Anne Webster MP, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Communications said today.

Amazon will invest in two solar installations in Victoria and one in Queensland to offset their emissions, adding to eight projects in those states and New South Wales to produce an estimated 1.4 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 290,000 homes annually.

“Amazon needs abundant, baseload energy.  While hard to pin down, it is safe to estimate - based on Amazon’s market share and estimates of global total AI data demand - Amazon’s global energy footprint consumes around 20 terawatt hours (20,000 gigawatts) annually – and growing exponentially,” Dr Anne Webster MP said.

“AI and data centres underpin the current global productivity surge and need baseload power.  Amazon knows this, last year committing over AUD$1 billion (USD$650 million) to put a data centre next to a 2.5 gigawatt nuclear power station in Pennsylvania.

“Solar energy, even with battery storage however does not provide the 24/7 power that data centres, manufacturing and Australian productivity needs.

Over the last 12 months, the NEM dashboard shows Australia’s fuel mix was a combined two- thirds coal and gas, the only baseload energy sources currently available in Australia 

“The Coalition is committed to repealing the moratorium on nuclear energy to meet our future energy needs.  AI and data centres’ energy demand is growing exponentially – and Amazon, like Meta, Google and Microsoft, are turning to nuclear power where nuclear is not banned in other countries,” Dr Webster said.

“Our productivity and communications future depend on baseload power and with the Prime Minister scheduled to meet with US President Trump this week, I call upon him to put the nuclear moratorium on the bargaining table.

“Australia has abundant uranium to share with the United States and despite Australia’s current abstinence, the world is hungry for nuclear energy.  We export 8 per cent of the world’s uranium for their energy consumption but the World Nuclear Association estimates we have the world’s largest reserves, almost one-third of the global known resources. We should play to Australia’s strengths and supercharge our productivity.

Dr Webster indicated support for Amazon’s continuing commitment to low latency satellite technology for regional connectivity, saying competition is a healthy thing.

“We have seen regional Australians and even Australia’s military and government departments sign up with Starlink for reliable 24/7 coverage in the bush,” Dr Webster said.

“The Coalition support competition in every sector as it drives down prices, and Amazon joining Starlink and other operators to provide 24/7 connectivity in the bush is very positive.

“The key takeaway here is 24/7 – 24/7 energy, 24/7 connectivity.  Australia must position itself to ride the AI, data centre and connectivity wave and not remain an energy pariah, keeping an archaic ban on nuclear energy and stranding us behind the technology revolution wave.”

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