Australia’s wealthiest woman raises eyebrows over jokes book full of ‘boomer’ memes

Australia’s wealthiest woman has been met with an unexpected response after publishing a jokes book full of ‘boomer’ memes off Facebook.

Australia’s wealthiest woman has raised eyebrows online after releasing a book of jokes full of ‘boomer’ memes.

Mining magnate and billionairess Gina Rinehart’s new publication of “jokes, quotes and cartoons” was originally gathered for friends in hospital and was launched on Thursday to “bring joy to those doing it tough”.

Former politician Bronwyn Bishop, Senator Matt Canavan and Sam Bjelke-Petersen – the grandson of Queensland’s longest serving Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen – were among the guests at the star-studded Zoom launch across 12 locations on Thursday.

All profits from the book are going to the Cambodian Children’s Fund, Shine Awards, the Royal Flying Doctor’s Service and the Country Women’s Association.

Social media users have made fun of the book, with some pointing out many of the jokes appear to have originated from ‘Boomer’ Facebook groups.

Doing my bit for those doing it tough by r̶e̶d̶i̶s̶t̶r̶i̶b̶u̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶$̶3̶6̶ ̶b̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶t̶u̶n̶e̶ making bad meme book. pic.twitter.com/LGxlLraiQ0

— Benjamin Millar (@BenjaminMillar) April 1, 2021

Nothing brings laughter and joy to the battlers like [checks notes] plagiarising right-wing memes.

Honestly, if Gina Rinehart wanted to evoke sincere and heartfelt laughter among the reading public, she need only publish more of her poetry.

— Andrew P Street (@AndrewPStreet) April 1, 2021

Gina Rinehart dedicated her new book to laughter because actually she killed it and laughter is dead now.

— James Cutler, Professional Cool Guy (@t_cutlet) April 1, 2021

Others questioned whether it was an elaborate April fools’ prank.

Pages of the book show a number of memes, stories and some cartoons from the Australian newspaper.

One of the jokes, picked at the launch by Ms Bishop, read: “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”

if this is an april fools joke the execution is incredible, the video is so funny

— henno (@jrhennessy) April 1, 2021

Ok it’s April 2 now, the joke day is over. Can someone please confirm that Gina Rinehart joke book full of boomer memes was a prank?

Anyone?

Please?

— Jack McGinn (@JackGMcGinn) April 2, 2021

tfw you discover that Gina Rinehart’s new book of stolen boomer memes “Jokes and Joys” is part of a federal government scam to drive up house prices pic.twitter.com/TWur9EmP2v

— Chloe Alison Escott (@vesselskirt) April 1, 2021

The perfect thing to read your children as the author's lobby groups work to strip away their future

— Max Black ⚫️ (@maxblackhole) April 1, 2021

Thank god. I've been saying it for years, I can't believe they finally listened - "I'm doing it tough and I need a book of jokes, quotes and cartoons by Gina Rinehart to get me through" that's what I've said...for years...and I wasn't alone. There were dozen of us.

— Bradley Kenneth (@brad_corp) April 1, 2021

It is true that laughter is desperately needed at the moment, but I thought we already had Gina Rinehart's poetry to meet that need https://t.co/FocUWNSQLw

— Angus M-a-c-i-n-n-i-s (@AequoEtBono) April 1, 2021

It’s not the first time Ms Rinehart has courted controversy with her publications.

In 2012, she composed a poem attacking the Labor Federal Government over its lack of support for the resources industry.

The poem was engraved on a 30-ton iron ore boulder in the Western Australian town of Morley.

In 2019, she published an outback cookbook titled Things We Love, a collection of short stories and recipes from station and farm managers across Ms Rinehart’s Hancock and Kidman pastoral properties across Australia.