How thirsty is AI? Competing for Australia's most strategic resource

Can Australia reframe water as a national security issue, rather than only an environmental or social policy concern?  

Can Australia realistically pursue both AI leadership and sustainable water management? 

What happens when drought, climate change, food insecurity, ageing infrastructure and economic pressure combine?  

Who should be at the table for a national water strategy? 

In this episode, Sharryn Parker speaks with Jason Alexandra and Matthew Coulton about Australia's water future, exploring why water security needs to be understood as a national security issue. 

Dr Jason Alexandra is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s (ANU) Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions and the Institute for Water Futures. 

Matthew Coulton is Associate Director at WSP Australia, and previously served as General Manager Water and Agriculture at the Bureau of Meteorology and as a senior adviser to Australian and New South Wales governments on water policy and reform. 

Sharryn Parker is a Senior Policy Advisor at the ANU National Security College (NSC), on secondment from the Department of Defence. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Show notes: 

• NSC academic programs – find out more 
• How much water and power will AI data centres use in Australia? Ironically, we don’t have the data to know by Michael Vardon, ANU 
• Sustainable water services for rural and remote communities by WSP 
• Reforming water policy for a changing Australia by WSP 
• Next Steps on the National Water Agreement by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 
• Australian Water Association (AWA) Homepage 
• Australian Water Directory by AWA 
• National Water Week  

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