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Each week, the Listener brings you quotes from New Zealand and around the world that best highlight what has happened in the past seven days. Today’s quotes include the reaction of England’s football coach after the women’s team made it to the Fifa World Cup final, the owner’s reflection on Waiwera Thermal Resort as it’s being demolished, and Jason Momoa’s message to potential Maui tourists after wildfires blazed across the island – among other events.
“I never take anything for granted but it’s like I’m living a fairytale or something.” – England Women’s FIFA World Cup team coach Sarina Wiegman
England won the World Cup semi-final against the Australian Matildas on Wednesday night 3-1, meaning the Lionesses have reached their first final in the tournament’s history. Wiegman is the first coach to take two countries to the final, leading the Netherlands there in 2019.
“The reality is that women have different experiences in the workplace than men, and change is needed. Requiring companies to publish their gender pay gap will encourage them to address the drivers of those gaps and increase transparency for workers.” – Minister for Women Jan Tinetti
On Friday, August 11, the Government announced about 900 businesses with more than 250 employees will have to publicly report their gender pay gap. Those with more than 100 workers will be introduced to the scheme later. This decision matches New Zealand with its counterparts Australia, Canada and the UK, which have also introduced gender pay gap reporting.
“Waiwera holds a special place in the hearts and minds of so many Aucklanders and visitors, whether it was hanging with friends in the pools or hooning down the slides.”– Urban Partners chief executive Greig Staples on the demolition of the thermal pools
Waiwera Thermal Resort became embroiled in multiple promises of renovations, even after it closed in 2018. But now, the property’s owner, Urban Partners, is demolishing the hot pools and putting the 1.7ha of land on the market in hopes of drawing a “wide range of buyers”. Staples says the zone allows for business, residential developments, health and wellness, tourism, hospitality and visitor accommodation.
“I’ve had my concerns [about GST exemption from food] in the past – those concerns have been met.” – Labour finance spokesman Grant Robertson
Labour has promised to remove GST from fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables from April 2024 if re-elected. This would mean savings of about $4 a week, on an average spend of $30 in the supermarket fruit and vegetable section. The move is something Finance Minister Grant Robertson originally opposed, previously criticising the policy as a “boondoggle”.
“You don’t wanna smell desperate going into an election.” – Former National finance minister Steven Joyce
While promoting his new memoir on Three’s breakfast show AM, the former minister weighed in on what he thought of the new Labour policy, saying he thinks it’s probably universally agreed it’s “bad policy”.
“Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead.” – Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on the rumoured fight between himself and X boss Elon Musk
The proposed fight between billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg started as a social media joke when Musk, X’s (formerly Twitter) owner, made a comment about Zuckerberg’s new social media app and X rival Threads. One of Musk’s social media followers jokingly commented that Zuckerberg knows ju-jitsu. While both are yet to talk about the physical battle in public, they have spoken through their social media apps, with Musk calling for a “cage fight”. And Zuckerberg replying, “Send me location.”
The fight will be managed by my and Zuck’s foundations (not UFC).
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2023
Livestream will be on this platform and Meta. Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome, so nothing modern at all.
I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture. They have agreed on an epic location.
“Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now, do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply.” – Jason Momoa on the Maui wildfires
Hollywood actor Jason Momoa, currently based in New Zealand for filming, took to Instagram stories to deter people from visiting Maui. The Hawaiian island has been devasted by wildfires, with a death toll of at least 110 as of last Wednesday.
“It’s very sad that this is closing. It’s a piece of Invercargill history,” - United Video customer told 1 News.
The South Island’s last United Video store closed last Saturday. The owners Daryle and Kim Blackler, say while they had a loyal membership base, it wasn’t enough to compete with the streaming giants. There are, however, a few United Video stores left across the country, such as those in the North Island’s Masterton and Morrinsville.
“You don’t stumble upon your heritage. It’s there, just waiting to be explored and shared.” – Canadian musician Robbie Robertson, who died on August 9
Robbie Robertson was the chief composer and lead guitarist for the Band, a Canadian-American rock band that notably gained recognition for backing Bob Dylan. Robertson was often dubbed the father of Americana. It’s reported he had been suffering from prostate cancer for about a year before he died, aged 80.
