After weeks of speculation about why McWilliam bought into the media company, Australia’s richest person has revealed she lent him the money.

Billionaire Gina Rinehart financed most of Bruce McWilliam’s near-10 per cent stake in Southern Cross Media, a new disclosure shows.

After weeks of speculation about why McWilliam bought into the media company, Australia’s richest person has revealed she lent him the money.