Victoria was ‘ruthless’ in its quest to become the datacentre capital of Australia. Why has it hit the brakes?

There is growing public concern about the size and proximity of datacentres, like this one in West Footscray, to people’s homes. Photograph: Ellen Smith/The Guardian

In the private dining room of Government House, Jacinta Allan was assiduously taking notes as waiters served a three-course meal made with local ingredients and accompanied by Victorian wines.

Sitting around the table at the meeting in March were leaders of artificial intelligence companies and datacentres, hand picked by the governor’s office for a discussion about the future of the industry.