Senator Pocock urges detail in AI policy, warns of tax and housing risks
David Pocock argues that while commitments to protect intellectual property are welcome, the government’s vision for artificial intelligence omits critical frameworks on taxation, sovereign capability, and workforce planning.
Independent Senator David Pocock has published an opinion piece in The Guardian critiquing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s recent address on artificial intelligence delivered at the University of Sydney. While acknowledging the government’s commitment to protecting Australian creatives’ intellectual property and addressing datacentre resource usage, Pocock argues the vision lacks legislative detail and strategic depth.
Pocock welcomed the pledge to ensure creatives retain control over their work, noting it signals a shift away from a hands-off regulatory approach. However, he highlighted a contradiction between protecting intellectual property and the desire to attract multinational hyperscalers, noting that copyright remains a significant sticking point for these companies. He also referenced cabinet documents suggesting the Prime Minister had previously considered submissions to grant AI companies access to Australian work in exchange for datacentre investment.
The opinion piece questions the definition of “next generation” and “large-scale” datacentres, noting that at least 100 datacentres are currently under construction with many more planned. Pocock pointed out the absence of a plan for Australian sovereign AI capability, which would ensure local companies and researchers have access to new computing power. He also contrasted Australia’s lack of retraining funding with Singapore’s $1bn annual investment in AI-resilient careers.
Concerns were raised about construction workforce shortages, noting that datacentre projects are diverting labour from housing construction, exacerbating the housing crisis. The article cites Erin Brockovich’s work in the US as an example of the need for transparent mapping of datacentre locations, warning against the concealment of such information.
A significant omission identified is a tax framework to capture long-term financial benefits, with Pocock warning against repeating the profit offshoring mistakes seen during the resources boom. He urged that the government must not fail to capture a fair return on AI datacentre development as it did with gas companies, which are adept at tax minimisation.