City of Perth rejects proposal for helipad at Hancock Prospecting headquarters in West Perth
The City of Perth has turned down mining billionaire Gina Rinehart’s request to build a helipad at the $270 million headquarters of her company Hancock Prospecting.
Despite two councilors backing the proposal and Perth’s mayor describing Rinehart as a “great Australian”, the council stood by city officials’ recommendation and rejected the application 6-2 at a meeting on Tuesday night.
A spokesman for Hancock Prospecting described the result as disappointing and said the company would consider other options.
Council member Adam Pacan introduced an alternative motion at the meeting, saying he was a qualified pilot and could “speak to many of the concerns” raised.
Pacan told the meeting that the flight paths would affect neighboring Subiaco City rather than Perth, while nearby building heights would not be affected, and reiterated that only one flight per month would be able to land at the helipad.
Councilor Catherine Lezer supported the alternative motion, encouraging councilors to “welcome the investment”.
“The City of Perth is more YIMBY than NIMBY. We are committed to economic growth and the data we provide is pretty straightforward,” he said.
“As Councilman Pagan said, the proposed use is a maximum of 12 times a year and during daylight hours only.
“Let’s confirm this investment. Let’s ensure the City of Perth is always seen as a thriving and adaptable business hub.”
Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds told the meeting that Rinehart was a “great Australian” but would side with the administration in this case over technical safety and environmental issues.
The original motion to reject the helipad passed 6-2, with Reynolds, Deputy Mayor David Goncalves and councilors Liam Gobbert, Lisa Ma, Viktor Ko and Raj Doshi voting for the motion.
Pacan and Lezer voted against the motion.
Rinehart had applied to include the helipad for accommodations. An eight-seat Bell 429 helicopter will be perched atop Hancock’s five-storey Ord Street headquarters in West Perth, which will eventually house all of Rinehart’s mining and agricultural businesses.
Hancock argued that the pad would only be used 12 times a year and that the Bell 429 would only generate noise for 5 minutes during landing and 5 minutes during takeoff in the West Perth area.
However, city officials recommended that the municipality reject the helipad on the grounds that it would “have a negative impact on the comfort of use of the surrounding residential lands” and that noise impacts could not be mitigated.
A spokesman for Hancock Prospecting cited a telephone poll on Radio 6PR’s Morning program last week as evidence that the helipad had public support.
“A poll of listeners conducted by 6PR Perth Radio on 2 December 2025 showed overwhelmingly strong support for the proposed helipad, with respondents supporting it by five to one,” he said.
He also reiterated the company’s assertion to council at last week’s agenda briefing that the helipad could operate without noise and safety issues affecting surrounding residents.
“Independent technical assessments have confirmed that the noise will not exceed existing ambient noise levels in the area; in fact, even reaching the highest current ambient noise level will occur in less than one minute per month and only during daylight hours,” he said.
“Other expert technical reports addressing aviation safety and the downward impact of wind confirm that the helipad can operate safely and appropriately in the current and future urban context.”
The spokesman said the decision was a missed opportunity to “cement Perth’s reputation as a growing, globally recognized hub for international mining and commercial investment” and was contrary to the city’s own Perth Future policies.
“Rooftop helipads are common in major and prominent CBDs around the world, including New York, London and Tokyo,” he said.
The spokesman said the decision would also have consequences for emergency services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
“With the building’s location between Perth’s two major trauma hospitals and Perth Children’s Hospital, the helipad will have the potential to save lives as it has the ability to serve as a crucial backup landing option for these services,” he said.
Hancock’s new headquarters was approved by the city in 2023 and construction is already underway.
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Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s state political correspondent and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Award for best political journalism.Connect with: excitement or email.
Carla Hildebrandt is a journalist at WAtoday. She previously worked as a courts reporter for the ABC’s Four Corners and for The Daily Telegraph in Sydney. For secure communication: carlahildebrandt@proton.me.Connect via email.
