Yesterday the Supreme Court of WA published judgment in Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd v Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd & Ors [2026] WASC 101.
The 1,655 page judgment, concerning royalty and ownership claims over lucrative iron ore mining tenements in Western Australia, is the latest chapter in the dispute between Wright Prospecting, DFD Rhodes, Hancock Prospecting, and the children of Gina Rinehart.
The case, one of the most complex to have ever been litigated in Australia, occupied 51 hearing days in 2023 and involved considerable skill and effort on the part of the practitioners involved.
Amongst the many barristers who appeared, Banco Chambers’ barristers appeared for numerous parties. From Banco: Peter Brereton SC (now Judge) and Christopher Mitchell appeared for Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd and Hope Downs Iron Ore Pty Ltd; Christopher Withers SC and Adam Hochroth SC appeared for Bianca Rinehart and John Hancock; and Kate Lindeman appeared for Ginia Rinehart.