Ann: Mt Ridley to acquire high-grade Philippines Gold Project, page-63

Mate if you can't see the blatantly obvious it is not my problem and yes you're performing mental gymnastics (cognitive dissonance, dissociating from the meaning or reality of something because it doesn't suit the meaning attitude or belief that you choose to associate it with, so I know exactly what it means mate) to consider that to be anything but a joke.
You would be wise not to challenge me on vocabulary mate you'll lose very time.
That last comment which was what MC and I were referring to was clearly sarcastic and I guarantee if you asked 9 out of 10 people they would consider it to be a sarcastic joke.
For pete's sake he even put a bloody smiley face at the end of the sentence.