Independent senator David Pocock has called for a levy on data centres he says would raise $500 million by the end of the decade.
He said the government was "starstruck" by foreign AI companies and blind to public sentiment, failing to respond to concerns over the impacts of data centres on communities.
Speaking at the National Press Club, he outlined his vision for a political system beyond the major parties, and suggested independents could form a coalition to govern in minority.
The ACT senator suggested smaller community-interest parties working alongside independents could deliver evidence-based solutions, and shift the national focus to the long term.
Pocock also praised his friend Helen Haines , describing her as "a beacon of integrity".
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Haines remains in a critical condition after she was allegedly attacked by a 4WD driver outside her parliamentary office in Wangaratta on Monday.
Pocock proposed introducing a 5 per cent levy on data centres from early next year. He said the idea had been costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office and would generate $500 million by 2030.
It would be enough, he said, to cover a year of spending for the Housing Australia Future Fund, contributing to the development of new social and affordable housing.
"We all pay income tax to fund the services we use and rely on, yet these huge multinationals turn over billions and find ways to pay little to no company tax here," he said.
Pointing to a lack of long-term thinking, he said the government is putting data centres and frontier AI development ahead of communities and creatives.
"Imagine siding with the tech bros over almost every Australian author, artist and journo that wants their copyright protected," he said.
Pocock, a member of the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, cited evidence from the Copyright Agency's CEO, who warned Australia risked becoming "a global data laundering hotspot" without stronger copyright protections.
Pocock said the current major party system is "letting us down" by prioritising vested interests over community needs.
"Too often people are telling politicians how tough things are, only to get some talking points or a long government shopping list of things they’ve done in response," he said.
"And so people are turning away, turning towards something different or turning off altogether."
Rather than "recycled political candidates, former staffers and others from the political class", he wants more independents to choose to represent their communities, while also contributing to a broader political collective on issues like accountability, gambling and the environment.
The ACT senator said smaller community-focused parties and independents working together would better reflect Australia's regional and generational diversity than the traditional two-party system.
"Australians want a politics where their local representative actually reflects their community’s view — not the position of a party or other vested interest," he said.
He said his model prioritised community needs, the opinions of experts and solutions-oriented thinking.
"We want people who have courage and a commitment to the long-term solutions needed to solve them. People like Dr Helen Haines," he said.
Pocock described Haines as " the MP we all wish we had ", emphasising her dedication to democracy, transparency, accountability, care and kindness.
