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The two WA regions where the world’s AI companies want to build data centres
Australia🏛️ PoliticsCenter9/8/2026

The two WA regions where the world’s AI companies want to build data centres

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook confirmed that AI companies and data centre builders have proposed establishing facilities in the Mid West and North West regions due to their available land, power, and connectivity. These areas are less affected by population concerns compared to urban centers. Cook highlighted WA's strengths in optical fiber infrastructure and its potential role in global data transfers, comparing Perth to 'the Dubai airport of data' in Southeast Asia. He acknowledged challenges related to water management but emphasized plans for desalination plants across various regions. The discussion followed the Commonwealth's agreement with Anthropic on AI standards.

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has confirmed that AI companies and data centre builders have proposed constructing facilities in the state’s Mid West and North West regions. Speaking at a Committee for the Economic Development of Australia breakfast in Perth on Tuesday, Cook revealed the interest in these less populated areas, citing their strong connectivity and available land and power resources. Trevor Collens noted that developers are drawn to these regions due to their maintained connectivity while facing fewer population-related concerns. He emphasized that land and power are essential for data centres and AI operations, both of which are abundantly available in the Mid West and North West. The Commonwealth has reached an in-principle agreement on Labor’s new AI standards, facilitating a potential deal with AI giant Anthropic to establish its presence in Australia as a secondary training hub for its AI models. Cook expressed openness to data centres in WA but acknowledged challenges related to social licence. He highlighted the significance of the opportunity for Western Australia, noting the difficulties of development in more densely populated areas. Cook pointed to the state’s extensive land availability and robust data connections, describing Perth as akin to the Dubai airport of data in the Southeast Asian region due to its role in global data transfers. Regarding water availability, Cook stated that while current supplies are sufficient, water will remain a challenge for the state’s economy. He humorously suggested that WA could become a leader in water manufacturing, from Esperance to the Pilbara, and outlined plans for desalination plants in Albany, Esperance, and both the West and East Pilbara regions. Hamish Hastie, WAtoday’s state political reporter, who has won several awards for his work, provides further insight into the developments.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 2 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

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2 reports

The Age logoThe AgeIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 889/8/2026
The two WA regions where the world’s AI companies want to build data centres

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook revealed that AI companies and data centre builders have proposed constructing facilities in the state's Mid West and North West regions due to their available land, power, and connectivity. These areas are considered less impacted by population concerns compared to urban centers. Cook noted that while the state has significant opportunities for data centres, there are social license challenges. He highlighted WA's strong optical fiber infrastructure and likened Perth's role in global data transfers to Dubai Airport. Additionally, he addressed water resource management, suggesting desalination plants would be necessary across various regions.

Bias read (Center): The article presents information from Premier Roger Cook regarding potential developments in data centres and AI infrastructure in Western Australia. While the content involves political decisions and economic planning, the framing remains neutral, quoting officials without overtly favoring any side

Why factuality (95): The article accurately reports Premier Roger Cook's statements about AI companies proposing data centres in WA's Mid West and North West regions. It includes direct quotes from Cook and mentions the Commonwealth's agreement with Anthropic, aligning with the cross-source consensus. The article does n

Why objectivity (88): The tone remains neutral, presenting both the opportunities and challenges associated with the data centre projects. However, the article slightly emphasizes the significance of the opportunity while mentioning challenges only briefly, which may lean towards a positive outlook.

The Sydney Morning Herald logoThe Sydney Morning HeraldIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 889/8/2026
The two WA regions where the world’s AI companies want to build data centres

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook confirmed that AI companies and data centre builders have proposed establishing facilities in the Mid West and North West regions due to their available land, power, and connectivity. These areas are less affected by population concerns compared to urban centers. Cook highlighted WA's strengths in optical fiber infrastructure and its potential role in global data transfers, comparing Perth to 'the Dubai airport of data' in Southeast Asia. He acknowledged challenges related to water management but emphasized plans for desalination plants across various regions. The discussion followed the Commonwealth's agreement with Anthropic on AI standards.

Bias read (Center): The article presents information from Premier Roger Cook regarding economic development opportunities in Western Australia without overtly favoring any political ideology. It includes quotes from Cook and mentions industry interests without taking a clear partisan stance. While the topic involves AI

Why factuality (95): This article mirrors the content of the first article with identical reporting on Premier Cook's comments and the proposed data centres. It also references the Commonwealth's agreement with Anthropic, maintaining consistency with the cross-source consensus. No additional claims are introduced.

Why objectivity (88): Similar to the first article, this piece maintains a neutral tone but subtly highlights the potential benefits for Western Australia while briefly acknowledging challenges. This slight emphasis on opportunity may introduce a minor bias.

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