Gina Rinehart drew much flak after publishing an advice of some sort to Aussies getting minimum wage, saying those who are "jealous of those with more money" should "spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working."

Rinehart, who also made a suggestion to reduce the current weekly minimum wage, expressed her opinion in her latest column in Australian Resources and Investment magazine.

Not surprisingly, the remarks drew criticisms from a lot of people. Australian politicians were interviewed to react on the controversial column and some of them politely disagreed with Ms Rinehart.

Australia's Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek described Rinehart's remarks as an out-of-line attack on minimum wage earners.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has also aired an opinion against Ms Rinehart's statement, hinting that life is not as simple as Rinehart seemed to have insinuated.

Others who reacted on the statement resorted to sarcasm to drive their point. North Queensland MP Bob Katter is one of those who sarcastically brought up how Ms Rinehart acquired her fortune in the first place.

"Gina told us to get out of the pubs, stop smoking, don't go to the football, work on the weekends, and then you can get rich like her . . . She left out the bit about Daddy being a cattle station owner and the biggest magnate in Australia, that helps as well," News.com.au quoted Mr Katter as saying.

Scumbag Gina Rinehart memes going viral

Should the richest woman in the world, an heiress to a huge mining industry tycoon, care to give people advice on how to get rich? Users of Quickmeme.com posted a whole set of answers in a 2-page meme feature called, "Scumbag Gina Rinehart."

The memes feature a photo of Ms Rinehart, with an open palm extended, as if asking for something. The texts vary across similar photos. One of them says: "Makes $20 billion, spends most of it at KFC."

The "Scumbag Gina Rinehart" memes are mostly personal attacks, but given the weight of the controversial heiress' recent remarks, web users are not surprised by the unpleasant reaction.

Twitter reactions

Ms Rinehart's statements did not skip Twitter, which now carries tweets in reaction to her piece of advice:

‏@trubnad: Ironically, Gina Rinehart's opinions sound like those of a lazy, badly-informed drunk in a pub.

‏@journo_realdeal: @GinaRinehart What about inheriting squillions from your dad? That would be a bit easier. #auspol

Click 'Start' to see some of the "Scumbag Gina Rinehart" memes circulating on the Web.

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