Donations to major parties and an ex-premier as a lobbyist: how datacentres play the political game in Australia
News Source
•Sun, 11 Oct 2026 14:00:27 GMT
📰 What Happened
A Guardian report looks at how datacentre companies play politics in Australia. In June 2025, PM Anthony Albanese visited Amazon Web Services in Seattle, where CEO Matt Garman outlined a $20bn plan to build datacentres in Melbourne and Sydney. Days later, Amazon made its largest-ever payment to an Australian political party, a $46,500 donation to Labor on 28 June. In total, Amazon has given $538,000 across 34 payments to Labor and Liberal branches.
🔍 The Backstory
Datacentres are being fast-tracked as demand for AI grows, drawing backlash from some communities. The story also notes a former premier working as a lobbyist for the industry. Amazon says its donations do not influence government decisions. The report comes as political donations face fresh scrutiny.
🎯 Why It Matters
It raises questions about whether big tech money buys access to politicians and shapes decisions that affect local communities.
A Guardian report looks at how datacentre companies play politics in Australia. In June 2025, PM Anthony Albanese visited Amazon Web Services in Seattle, where CEO Matt Garman outlined a $20bn plan to build datacentres in Melbourne and Sydney. Days later, Amazon made its largest-ever payment to an Australian political party, a $46,500 donation to Labor on 28 June. In total, Amazon has given $538,000 across 34 payments to Labor and Liberal branches.
Datacentres are being fast-tracked as demand for AI grows, drawing backlash from some communities. The story also notes a former premier working as a lobbyist for the industry. Amazon says its donations do not influence government decisions. The report comes as political donations face fresh scrutiny.
It raises questions about whether big tech money buys access to politicians and shapes decisions that affect local communities.