Graeme Muller: Tech New Zealand CEO on Invest New Zealand looking at attracting investment for new data centres

Tech New Zealand is trying to dispel fears about bringing more data centres here.  Crown agency Invest New Zealand is looking to attract up to $30 billion in offshore investment in the centres, over five years.   We already have 56 of the facilities here – using around 0.6% of our total power.  Tech New Zealand Chief Executive Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking he hates hearing that data centres use a lot of water.  He says it's an American issue with old centres, suggesting the new facilities like those built in Auckland using less water than the average dairy farm.  Muller is also assuring that lots of jobs will be created by bringing new data centres here.  Invest New Zealand claims the centres could employ up to three and a half thousand people, but local industry advocate Don Christie says the centres are largely automated and only employ a few people.  Muller argues the new data centre being built in Southland is creating a lot of jobs – he says it's going to create more construction jobs over the next decade than the City Rail Link, and create 220 fulltime positions.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.