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Evidence · NZ Election 2026 · Edition 2

Every question, every answer, every source

All 174 questions and the 793 answers produced on 12 October 2026. The 27 remaining cells produced no AI Overview.

questions
174
answers saved
793
collected
12 Oct 2026

01

Every question, with its answers

Each question was written as a voter would ask it and went to all four assistants. Some were also asked from a town. Open a question to read every answer to it in full.

Showing 20 of 174 questions

Show all 174

02

The tables behind the study

Every figure on the study page comes from these tables. They are CSV files, which open in any spreadsheet.

  • Questions

    nz-election-2026-questions.csv

    One row per unchanged question.

    id, draft, text, voterCode, issue, towns

    174rows

    Download questions (CSV)

  • Answers

    nz-election-2026-answers.csv

    One row per produced answer, with its complete original text.

    result id, prompt id, draft id, scenario id, platform, region, words, parties, literal url answer, associated source answer, temporal pair, common four platforms, response text

    793rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • Sources by answer

    nz-election-2026-sources.csv

    One row per website associated with an answer; repeated citations count once.

    answer id, question id, assistant, region, domain, publisher

    4,137rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • Checks against official sources

    nz-election-2026-checks.csv

    One row per reviewed proposition, retaining both answers, extracts and the reviewed change.

    check, draft id, platform, claim, verdict, assessment, source url, source label, source date, checked date, old result id, new result id, old excerpt, new excerpt

    15rows

    Download checks against official sources (CSV)

  • Who to vote for: coding

    nz-election-2026-guidance.csv

    One row per manually reviewed guidance answer. Codes overlap; original answers supply the evidence.

    draft, assistant, q, voter, a, declined, matched, shortlist, asked, chose, extract

    31rows

    Download who to vote for: coding (CSV)

  • Location and national answers

    nz-election-2026-towns.csv

    One row per matched national/location pair, with both editions.

    prompt id, draft id, scenario id, issue, platform, city, edition 1 same party set, edition 1 national result, edition 1 city result, edition 2 same party set, edition 2 national result, edition 2 city result

    124rows

    Download location and national answers (CSV)

  • Changes between editions

    nz-election-2026-comparisons.csv

    One row per identical question, assistant and location across the two collections.

    prompt id, draft id, scenario id, scenario, issue, platform, region, old result id, new result id, old words, new words, same party set, old parties, new parties, added parties, removed parties, literal same domains, literal old domains, literal new domains, literal added domains, literal removed domains, associated same domains, associated old domains, associated new domains, associated added domains, associated removed domains

    793rows

    Download changes between editions (CSV)

  • No AI Overview produced

    nz-election-2026-coverage.csv

    One row per planned cell where no AI Overview was produced.

    prompt id, platform, region, draft id, block, scenario id, scenario, issue, priority, question, cause, availability

    27rows

    Download no ai overview produced (CSV)

Use these tables to trace findings back to the original questions and answers. The full text of each answer is also on this page, under its question.

03

Read in full and checked

Some answers were read in detail or checked against official sources. Those appear on the study page, beside the findings they support.

ChatGPT · No location

I run a café with a small team. Food and power costs are squeezing margins, customers are spending less, and we've experienced a break-in. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on immigration settings for hospitality workers?

For a New Zealand café owner, immigration policy matters in a very practical way: whether you can recruit and retain cooks, chefs, café supervisors and other hospitality workers, how much it costs to employ them, and how reliably you can fill shifts when business is tight.

For the 2026 general election, it helps to separate three questions:

  • Access to workers: How readily can hospitality businesses recruit people from overseas when suitable local workers are unavailable?
  • Employment and visa rules: What requirements apply to employers, wages, work visas and workers changing jobs?
  • The wider business environment: What do parties propose on electricity, food costs, consumer spending and crime? These affect your café too, but they are separate policy questions.

One important distinction: immigration policy is not just about how many people enter New Zealand. Visa eligibility, employer accreditation, occupation-specific rules and pathways to residence can matter more to a small café than a headline immigration target.

1. How the main parties compare

The following comparison uses party announcements and policy material available as of 11 October 2026. It distinguishes announced election commitments from immigration settings already in force.

Party Published direction on immigration What it could mean for a café
National The governing party has continued with employer-sponsored work visas and introduced changes to skilled residence pathways. It has also extended English-language requirements to more migrant workers. Further changes to the Skilled Migrant Category to come into effect on 24 August 2026 :: Immigration New ZealandEnglish language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 roles The existing employer-sponsored route remains relevant, but language and role-specific eligibility requirements can add recruitment and compliance steps.
Labour Wants immigration planned around workforce needs, housing and infrastructure. It proposes allowing migrants to move between accredited employers after three months and strengthening protections against exploitation. Release: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New Zealand Greater mobility could give migrant staff more flexibility to change employers. The proposed system would still be planned around New Zealand's capacity and workforce needs.
ACT Proposes reviewing skill categories annually against evidence of demand, extending basic English requirements to all Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) types, and charging temporary work-visa holders a $6-a-day infrastructure surcharge. ACT New Zealand Visa categories could be more responsive to documented shortages, but the surcharge and wider English requirements are additional considerations for recruitment and retention.
New Zealand First Its September 2026 announcement calls for substantially reducing non-essential immigration and ending reliance on immigration as a source of cheap labour. NZ First Announces Immigration Reform Policies A more restrictive overall approach could make some overseas recruitment routes harder to access, depending on how hospitality roles are classified and which exemptions remain.
Green Party Its 2026 manifesto advocates humane, fair and practical immigration pathways, with explicit emphasis on migrant workers' dignity and fair treatment. Manifesto 2026Complete Party Policy Its stated direction puts greater emphasis on migrant rights and fair pathways. The precise effect on a small café's recruitment options depends on the detailed rules adopted.

An important caveat: these positions are not all equivalent in detail. National's row includes current government policy, while the other rows summarise published party proposals. I have not verified a specific National election commitment to change hospitality work visas, so it would be misleading to present every current rule as a new National campaign promise.

2. What the current visa rules mean for hospitality

Regardless of which party you are considering, the rules already in place are relevant to your staffing decisions.

Chefs and café or restaurant managers

From 24 August 2026, changes to the Skilled Migrant Category took effect. Chefs and café or restaurant managers are on the amber list for the Skilled Work Experience residence pathway, which has additional New Zealand work-experience and wage requirements. This is a residence pathway, not a blanket ban on hiring these workers. Further changes to the Skilled Migrant Category to come into effect on 24 August 2026 :: Immigration New ZealandRed and Amber List occupations :: Immigration New Zealand

Front-of-house and kitchen staff

Since 1 June 2026, basic English-language requirements have been extended to AEWV applications for skill-level 3 roles. The government specified IELTS 4.0 or equivalent as the baseline. The actual requirements depend on the occupation classification and any applicable transitional arrangements. English language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 rolesKey immigration changes

Employers recruiting overseas

The AEWV remains an important employer-sponsored route. Your accreditation, job check, offered pay and the specific job's visa conditions matter. Check the current requirements with Immigration New Zealand before making a hiring decision.

3. How to assess the parties against your café's pressures

Your concerns extend beyond immigration, so it may help to use a short set of questions when reading each party's full manifesto.

Your concern Policy questions to investigate
Staff shortages Will the party preserve access to overseas cooks and other hospitality workers? Will it make visa applications simpler or more restrictive?
High food costs Does it propose changes affecting grocery competition, supply chains or business input costs?
High power bills Does it set out specific measures for electricity prices and business energy costs, rather than just household relief?
Customers spending less What does it propose on household disposable income, employment, taxes and tourism spending?
Break-in and security costs What does it propose on retail and business crime, policing, repeat offending and prevention?

For an industry-specific perspective, the Restaurant Association's 2026 election manifesto identifies workforce training and immigration, business costs, simpler regulation and safer hospitality precincts as priorities for the sector. Restaurant Association Election Manifesto

4. The key distinction for your vote

The parties differ not only in their overall approach to immigration, but in how they propose to manage labour shortages:

  • National: examine its record in government alongside any new election commitments.
  • Labour: examine its proposed workforce planning and the ability of migrant employees to change accredited employers.
  • ACT: examine its proposed annual demand reviews, English requirements and temporary-visa surcharge.
  • New Zealand First: examine how its proposed reduction in non-essential immigration would apply to hospitality recruitment.
  • Greens: examine its proposals on fair migrant treatment, work conditions and practical immigration pathways.

These are differences in policy direction, not a prediction of how any party would affect your profits. Actual effects would depend on implementation, the local labour market, wage levels and the wider economy.

One useful final question to ask each party is: If my café cannot recruit a suitable local worker for a genuine vacancy, what specific visa route would remain available to me, at what cost, and under what conditions? That is more informative for your business than a general promise to increase or reduce immigration.

Ask anything

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Gemini · No location

I run a café with a small team. Food and power costs are squeezing margins, customers are spending less, and we've experienced a break-in. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on immigration settings for hospitality workers?

Running a café under the squeeze of rising power and food costs, softer consumer spending, and the added stress of a break-in is a heavy load. Finding reliable staff when margins are this tight is a critical piece of the puzzle, and immigration settings are central to that.

As the November 7, 2026 general election approaches, New Zealand’s political parties offer distinct approaches to immigration settings that directly or indirectly impact the hospitality workforce.

How the Main Parties Compare on Immigration for Hospitality

  • National (Lead Coalition Party)
    • Stance & Approach: National generally favours a pragmatic, business-friendly approach to filling skill gaps, leaning into economic management and targeted immigration settings rather than broad closures. While they have focused heavily on tightening enforcement against migrant exploitation, they tend to support bringing in overseas talent where genuine shortages exist—though they have walked a middle line to balance business needs with domestic employment.
  • ACT Party
    • Stance & Approach: ACT takes a firmly market-driven view, aiming to reduce bureaucratic barriers for employers trying to hire the workers they need. They support immigration to fill genuine labor and skill shortages, which aligns closely with hospitality sectors struggling to source frontline and kitchen staff. (Note: While ACT has floated sweeping overhauls like abolishing permanent resident visas, coalition friction means these would face heavy compromise).
  • New Zealand First
    • Stance & Approach: NZ First pushes for significantly tighter, "smart, controlled" immigration with a heavy emphasis on prioritizing local workers and long-term domestic training. They have proposed restrictive measures—such as a referendum on capping resident visas, doubling the qualifying period for permanent residency to 10 years, and limiting work rights for international students. For hospitality—which often relies on working holidaymakers and international students—these tighter caps and restrictions could make talent recruitment more constrained.
  • Labour Party
    • Stance & Approach: Labour balances a managed approach to immigration with a strong emphasis on protecting migrant worker rights and ensuring employers invest in training domestic talent. They have historically supported robust pathways for essential industries while cracking down heavily on low-wage migration churn, framing their policy around preventing exploitation and supporting fair wages.
  • Green Party & Te Pāti Māori
    • Stance & Approach: Both parties prioritize domestic workforce upskilling, local training initiatives (particularly addressing regional and Māori unemployment), and human rights-centered immigration frameworks. Their policies are less focused on easing commercial labor shortages for business owners and more focused on broader social, humanitarian, and environmental outcomes.
  • The Opportunity Party (TOP)
    • Stance & Approach: TOP is generally pro-immigration, advocating for steady, structured migration and regional visa incentives to encourage workers to move outside major hubs like Auckland, which could benefit regional hospitality operators looking for staff.

Key Takeaways for Your Café

  • If your primary concern is flexibility and ease of hiring: Right-of-center parties like ACT and National lean more toward reducing red tape for business hiring and responding to market-driven skill shortages.
  • If your concern is tighter control and prioritizing local training: Parties like NZ First and Labour focus heavily on tightening overall volumes, reforming student work rights, or pushing for local upskilling over reliance on overseas labor.

Industry bodies like Hospitality New Zealand have actively pushed all parties in their 2026 election manifesto to adopt settings that specifically protect the hospitality workforce pipeline, given how hard the sector has been hit by broader economic pressures.

Given the weight of the decisions you are facing with your business margins and safety right now, which specific area of your workforce—such as access to working holiday makers, skilled chefs, or front-of-house staff—is causing you the most immediate concern?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 12 October 2026 · shown as Gemini gave it, not a verified account

Google AI Mode · No location

I run a café with a small team. Food and power costs are squeezing margins, customers are spending less, and we've experienced a break-in. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on immigration settings for hospitality workers?

New Zealand's political parties offer sharply contrasting approaches to immigration settings for hospitality and service workers, balancing employer access to labour against tighter border controls and residency rules.

As a café owner navigating tight margins and workforce needs, understanding where the parties stand can help frame your perspective on the wider economic landscape. Industry bodies like Hospitality New Zealand have lobbied for settings that better recognize practical experience over formal qualifications, but the political parties view this through very different ideological lenses. [Hospitality New Zealand]

How the Parties Compare on Immigration Settings

  • National (and the governing-led approach): Tends to balance business needs for operational staff with infrastructural capacity, though settings continue to prioritize formal skill thresholds over lower-skilled or front-of-house roles. They generally favor pragmatic adjustments for sectors facing severe shortages, while maintaining regulated caps.

  • ACT: Advocates for a more market-driven, flexible approach where employers face fewer bureaucratic hurdles to hire the labor they need. ACT proposes streamlining and reviewing skills lists dynamically to reflect genuine economic gaps, which could benefit sectors like hospitality, though they also propose stricter conditions around welfare eligibility for migrants. [www.livinginnz.co.nz]

  • New Zealand First: Takes a deeply restrictive stance on overall immigration flows. Their policy platform features major tightening, including extending qualifying periods for permanent residency and citizenship, restricting international student work rights, and favoring strict domestic workforce planning over reliance on lower-wage migrant labor. [www.livinginnz.co.nz]

  • Labour: Focuses on managed, sustainable net migration linked closely to local training and infrastructure capacity. Labour generally resists broad-based expansion of low-skilled migrant worker visas for sectors that they argue should focus on improving local wages and conditions to attract domestic workers.

  • Green Party / Te Pāti Māori: Generally emphasize humanitarian considerations, regularization of existing overstayers or workers already in New Zealand, and fair pathways to residency for all migrant workers, prioritizing workers' rights and protections against exploitation over employer-driven labor supply models.

If you'd like, let me know:

  • Are you looking primarily for easier access to front-of-house or kitchen staff , or residency pathways for key staff you already employ?
  • Would you like to explore policies affecting your overall operating costs (like crime/security or energy assistance)?
Ask anything

Captured 12 October 2026 · shown as Google AI Mode gave it, not a verified account

AI Overviews · No location

I run a café with a small team. Food and power costs are squeezing margins, customers are spending less, and we've experienced a break-in. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on immigration settings for hospitality workers?

AI Overview

For the 2026 New Zealand general election , political parties have drawn sharp battle lines over immigration settings. This is a crucial topic for small business owners in the hospitality sector who are currently balancing workforce needs with tight economic margins.

Political parties broadly divide into two camps: those advocating for market-driven or managed access to international talent, and those pushing for tighter restrictions and reduced numbers to protect infrastructure and domestic training.

Party Comparison on Immigration Settings

Political Party Core Policy Approach & Key Features Impact on Hospitality Employers
National Market Continuity: Largely seeks to continue enabling settings through the Skilled Migrant Category and Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) system. Historically supports treating work experience as a valuable component alongside formal qualifications. Focuses on reducing processing times and stabilizing the existing workforce pipeline without dramatic overhauls.
Labour Managed Infrastructure Alignment: Intends to regulate immigration through a strict "Government Policy Statement" tied to local infrastructure capabilities. Proposes doubling the wait time for permanent residency (from 2 to 4 years) but allows workers to change accredited employers more easily to combat exploitation. May reduce the long-term appeal of NZ for some migrant workers due to delayed residency pathways, but offers flexibility if staff need to shift between accredited venues.
ACT Market-Driven with Welfare Limits: Proposes reviewing the skilled jobs list annually to track real-time economic shortages. Advocates for a 5-year welfare stand-down period for new resident-class migrants and a specialized overstayer enforcement unit. Makes it easier to hire based on immediate market demands, but shifts the responsibility of long-term migrant stability entirely off the state.
New Zealand First Strict Reduction & Controls: Proposes a major overhaul, including a public referendum to cap resident visas at 20,000 annually. Plans to scrap the existing AEWV scheme entirely, implement a 10-year welfare stand-down, and eliminate automatic work rights for international students. Represents the most restrictive path, significantly narrowing the pool of student and temporary migrant labor that hospitality relies upon.
Greens / Te Pāti Māori Migrant Welfare & Accessible Pathways: Broadly oppose restrictive or "anti-migrant" rhetoric. They support more accessible residency pathways for long-term migrants, allowing worker freedom to change employers, and decoupling work visas from specific single employers. Focuses on ethical employment and path-to-residence certainty, which could improve long-term worker retention but potentially adds compliance oversight.

What the Sector is Asking For

As you weigh these choices, the advocacy group Hospitality New Zealand released its 2026 Election Manifesto. They are calling on whoever forms the next government to implement specific fixes for cafes and restaurants, including:

  • Recognizing Experience: Placing heavier weight on demonstrated industry experience and practical capability rather than just formal qualifications on visa applications.

  • Practical Pathways: Creating clear, reliable paths to residency for experienced hospitality staff to help small business owners retain talent long-term.

If you would like to explore how these parties plan to address other challenges you mentioned—such as retail crime and business energy costs—feel free to ask!

Ask anything

Captured 12 October 2026 · shown as AI Overviews gave it, not a verified account