The expansion aims to meet the growing demand for cloud and AI services across the state while supporting economic growth.
By bringing services closer to users, Microsoft intends to reduce latency and improve service delivery for both public and private sector organisations in Western Australia (WA).
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“This cutting-edge infrastructure will play a crucial role in enhancing the accessibility, efficiency and reliability of essential services for Western Australians,” said Steven Worrall, managing director at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand.
“It will also empower businesses in WA to innovate and grow, driving significant transformation across industries.”
The WA Government, which launched its Digital Industries Acceleration Strategy in August 2024, will be among the first to leverage the new infrastructure.
The initiative aligns with Microsoft’s existing partnerships with the state, which focus on cloud and cybersecurity technologies, and supports the government’s goal of attracting further cloud infrastructure investments.
Two major resource companies, Roy Hill and Northern Star Resources, expect immediate benefits.
Roy Hill, a leading iron ore mining operator, will use the local Azure capabilities to enhance productivity and operations.
Northern Star Resources’ IT Manager, Stephen Johnston, highlighted the advantages of hosting critical workloads locally. He said: “Azure increases the agility of our IT team and allows us to focus on supporting business applications and cyber security.”
Other organisations, including The University of Western Australia and Woodside Energy, have already embraced Microsoft’s cloud services to drive innovation and transform operations.
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