Concerns rise over former minister's $500 million data center proposal near Canberra military base

A proposal for a $500 million data center near a military base in Canberra has raised concerns about former politicians profiting from their past roles. Stuart Robert, a former minister, is promoting the project, linking it to his previous government policies. Robert's company, Coram Deo Capital, is seeking private investment and has engaged with major contractors like Oracle and Salesforce. This venture follows a scandal involving Robert's alleged misuse of his political influence to benefit friends in the IT sector, which is under investigation. The land for the data center is owned by a former Defence official, adding to the scrutiny of Robert's dealings. Critics argue this situation exemplifies the "revolving door" issue, where former officials transition to lucrative private sector roles related to their past government work.