A battle over LGBTQIA+ community access to dedicated safe space has erupted in Western Australia’s capital Perth, after local city councillors rejected a plan that would have created the city’s only such venue allowing consensual sexual activity alongside social and educational programming. The proposal’s architect, Nick Needham, managing director of downtown Perth’s Pink Rabbit Adult Shop, is moving forward with a formal appeal of the council’s decision, dismissing the objections raised against the project as baseless.
Needham’s application sought council approval to convert the adult retailer’s underused second floor into a members-only space for LGBTQIA+ community members, designed to deliver what he describes as three core outcomes: trusted social connection, inclusive community education, and access to private, consensual sexual activity. In an interview with NewsWire, Needham confirmed he expects to receive official council documentation of the rejection this week, and will formally file his notice of appeal immediately.
“There are no legal grounds for the council to block this space from opening,” Needham said. “Claims that this project would harm neighboring properties are completely ludicrous.”
The proposal went through a standard public community consultation process, which drew a total of 341 written submissions from the public and local stakeholders. Of those, 290 submissions opposed the plan, while 51 voiced support. Council meeting minutes, however, reveal that more than half of all opposing submissions — 195 total — were filed without any supporting reasoning or justification, and an additional 43 were identical form responses matching language from a circulating petition, rather than personalized objections.
Despite council planning staff formally recommending the proposal be approved with targeted operating conditions, Perth councillors ultimately voted to reject the application entirely.
Needham pushed back on the widespread public opposition, noting that hundreds of local LGBTQIA+ community members have reached out to him directly to express personal support for the project. That groundswell of backing, he said, has been deeply moving and reinforced his commitment to see the plan through the appeal process.
“Just like any other queer venue, this space would act as a welcoming entry point for people who have never felt comfortable accessing existing queer community spaces,” Needham explained. “It would give people a place to meet, build connections, and feel more comfortable in their own identity. Yes, consensual sexual activity is allowed, but that’s not all this space would be — that’s not even a guarantee for every visit. I’m working to meet a critical need for a segment of Perth’s LGBTQIA+ community that currently has no dedicated space of its own.”
Under Needham’s proposed operating model, visitors would pay a one-off $20 fee for seven days of access to the space. Critics have raised a wide range of objections to the plan: one public submission argued approving the project would “fundamentally alter the residential character, perceived safety, and family-friendly nature” of Barrack Street, where Pink Rabbit is located — a claim that overlooks the street already hosts multiple other 18+ licensed venues. Other common objections included unsubstantiated claims the space would inadvertently facilitate prostitution and fail to meet public hygiene standards. Perth councillor Viktor Ko also voiced opposition to the paid membership model, arguing it would make the space exclusionary even as he acknowledged the project’s operating management plan was well-designed.
In response to widespread online harassment directed at him and his business over the proposal, Needham said he has already proactively opened a line of communication with Western Australia Police’s hate crime unit to address the threats.
The rejection has sparked debate over access to inclusive community space for queer Perth residents, with Needham’s appeal set to test whether the city’s opposition holds up to formal legal and procedural review.