---
title: "Café owner with a small team"
publisher: "Onsomble Limited"
publication: "NZBrands.ai"
edition: 3
collected_on: "2026-10-16"
html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/voters/s10/"
---

# Café owner with a small team

Edition 3 · answers collected 16 October 2026.

[Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/voters/s10/)

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.

This is a designed voter situation, not a representative sample or a finding about everyone in that group.

## What they asked

### PF050 · Economy

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. What would parties do to improve conditions for small hospitality businesses, and what evidence supports their plans?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Consumer spending determines business viability.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/38051bc2-325a-4158-94e9-2213201ad2eb.md)

### PF051 · Jobs and unemployment

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 differ on minimum wages, employment rules and support for hiring and training staff?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Hiring rules and costs affect the team.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/734b2635-689e-46e6-a74b-60261f6010fd.md)

### PF052 · Tax and public spending

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. Which parties propose changes to small-business tax and compliance, and what would those mean for a café?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Compliance and tax affect time and cash flow.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/5d5460f4-df44-416a-95f3-e9ea9747f420.md)

### PF053 · Fuel and energy

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. What would parties do about electricity costs for small businesses?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Energy costs are part of the stated margin pressure.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/cf94c8a8-7cc8-4d72-926f-3633dc366991.md)

### PF054 · Crime and justice

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. What do parties propose about retail and small-business crime, prevention and policing?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: A specified break-in makes security locally relevant.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/6206b275-3942-423e-a7fd-f23f4b3651e7.md)

### PF055 · Immigration

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?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Workforce availability can affect recruitment.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/44b3abe3-7f32-4dd4-8275-9428d384c709.md)

### PF056 · Economy

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. If I want to keep the business viable and treat my staff fairly, which party would you recommend, and where might those priorities conflict?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: The voter asks how to weigh business viability and employee interests.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/e737e0d7-07e0-4718-84bd-19bd34178090.md)

## Which parties AI put in front of this voter

Of the 28 answers this voter received, 16 left out at least one of the six parties in Parliament. Te Pāti Māori was named least often, in 12 of 28.

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers collected |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 28 | 28 |
| Labour | 28 | 28 |
| Greens | 28 | 28 |
| ACT | 28 | 28 |
| NZ First | 24 | 28 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 12 | 28 |
| Opportunity | 7 | 28 |

## Issue by issue

## Economy

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 25 | 35 | 3 | 2 |
| Labour | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 26 | 35 | 5 | 3 |
| Greens | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 18 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| ACT | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 25 | 30 | 5 | 1 |
| NZ First | 5 | 8 | 62.5% | 8 | 21 | 4 | 2 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 8 | 37.5% | 3 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 |

## Jobs and unemployment

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 8 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 7 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 8 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |

## Tax and public spending

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 22 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 21 | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |

## Fuel and energy

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |

## Crime and justice

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 11 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| NZ First | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

## Immigration

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 14 | 2 | 2 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## How the assistants handled this voter’s main question

More concrete cash-flow and employment measures; evidence remains mostly rationale

Edition 3 returns to Labour’s concrete write-off/GST measures from Edition 1, absent in the primary Edition 2 discussion, and adds the 15-day payment proposal. It also makes ACT’s three-year wage freeze explicit. Sector advocacy remains evidence of industry demands or rationale, not proof that the proposals will improve café margins.

Gemini · 12 October 2026 · Earlier answer

> Running a small hospitality business under the weight of surging food and power costs, soft consumer spending, and the added trauma of a break-in is a massive strain. In the lead-up to the **2026 New Zealand General Election**, political parties have staked out distinct approaches to address small business pressures, cost-of-living challenges, and retail crime.

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/38051bc2-325a-4158-94e9-2213201ad2eb/#answer-6acb7ccb-1739-4fd0-b46d-87f2947fce7b)

Gemini · 16 October 2026 · Refreshed answer

> *Evidence/Rationale:*

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/38051bc2-325a-4158-94e9-2213201ad2eb/#answer-0bf4f897-3a33-4deb-9bd2-d8d7e246ed1d)

## Sources recorded against the answers

## ChatGPT

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 7 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| reuters.com | 6 |
| labour.org.nz | 5 |
| greens.org.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| nzfirst.nz | 4 |
| 1news.co.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 2 |
| ea.govt.nz | 2 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 22 |
| Government | 10 |
| News | 11 |
| Comparison sites | 5 |
| Advocacy groups | 5 |
| Businesses | 1 |
| Social media | 2 |
| Other | 2 |

## Gemini

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 0 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| businesscentral.org.nz | 3 |
| facebook.com | 2 |
| hospitality.org.nz | 2 |
| pwc.co.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| assets.kpmg.com | 1 |
| awaaz.co.nz | 1 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 1 |
| electrification.co.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 4 |
| Government | 1 |
| News | 3 |
| Comparison sites | 2 |
| Advocacy groups | 7 |
| Businesses | 4 |
| Social media | 2 |
| Other | 4 |

## Google AI Mode

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 1 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 3 |
| hansard.parliament.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| hospitality.org.nz | 1 |
| hospitalitybusiness.co.nz | 1 |
| indianweekender.co.nz | 1 |
| livinginnz.co.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 3 |
| Government | 3 |
| News | 10 |
| Comparison sites | 3 |
| Advocacy groups | 2 |
| Businesses | 1 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 1 |

## Google AI Overviews

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 6 | 0 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| rnz.co.nz | 6 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 5 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| businesscentral.org.nz | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| retail.kiwi | 2 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 2 |
| whichparty.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 7 |
| Government | 1 |
| News | 21 |
| Comparison sites | 4 |
| Advocacy groups | 7 |
| Businesses | 6 |
| Social media | 3 |
| Other | 6 |

## What this can and cannot tell you

Three sets of answers, from made-up voters, on three days.

Each question was asked once per edition. AI assistants vary their answers, so part of any change between editions is that variation rather than a lasting shift. Three editions show what changed; they do not show why. News events, what the assistants retrieved and changes to the assistants themselves all remain possible explanations.

The voters are designed situations, not a sample of New Zealanders. The study shows what the assistants said and lets anyone check it. It does not show whether anyone changed their vote.

We read all 31 voting-guidance answers and each voter's main question in full, and checked 12 statements. We have not read all 793 answers in full or checked every policy claim.

[Read the complete methodology](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/method.md)

## Publication and corrections

Published and funded by Onsomble Limited. NZBrands.ai takes no view on any party or policy.

[Independence](https://nzbrands.ai/about/independence/) · [Corrections](https://nzbrands.ai/about/corrections/) · [Contact](https://nzbrands.ai/about/contact/)