Australian billionaire Rinehart denied rooftop helipad for new headquarters

SYDNEY – Ms Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest person, has been grounded.

The city of Perth – where the iron ore tycoon is based –  has blocked her bid to build a helipad atop the new headquarters of her mining company, Hancock Prospecting. The proposal formed part of a refurbishment of a five-storey building within her planned lavish base in Perth.

The council on Dec 9 rejected the application, arguing the helipad’s flight path could limit future high-rise development in the area, and also raise noise issues for nearby residents. 

While Perth Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds said a helipad would allow important business leaders to arrive in the city with “first-class treatment” and encourage investment, he could not support the proposal as it stands.

“The proponent in my opinion is an amazing Australian,” Mr Reynolds said at the council meeting. “However, after careful reading of the report and considering the technical, safety and environmental issues raised, I have to side with the administration on this particular location.”

Ms Rinehart, who made her wealth from Australia’s mining boom as China’s demand for steel-making iron ore soared, saw her net worth surge this year to around US$36 billion (S$46.7 billion), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

She has, in recent years, diversified her business beyond iron ore into critical minerals such as lithium and rare earths, as well as oil and gas.

The council’s decision “represents a missed opportunity for Perth to cement its reputation as a growing globally recognised hub for international mining and business investment”, a spokesperson for Hancock said in a statement. 

Rooftop helipads, the company noted, are common in major central business districts including New York, London and Tokyo. BLOOMBERG