The Rinehart-backed deal that’s created a smorgasbord for conspiracy theorists

May 27, 2026 — 2:25pm

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One of Australia’s most successful and ferocious lawyers, Bruce McWilliam, has made a career out of working for or with the country’s billionaires, including Kerry Stokes, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch.

In a bizarre twist, he has now borrowed from the country’s richest person, Stokes’ fellow Perth billionaire Gina Rinehart, to fund the purchase of a near-10 per cent stake in Southern Cross Media – the company that merged with the Stokes-controlled Seven West Media.

The news has delivered a conspiracy theorist’s smorgasbord.

McWilliam wasn’t in the mood on Wednesday to answer questions on how it came to pass that Rinehart was funding his purchase of Southern Cross shares.

And there were plenty of spectators pondering why she was involved in this deal. If she had wanted to dip her toe into another media company, she would have........

© WA Today