# Café owner with a small team

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 5 · Voter profiles · 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.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 7 |
| answers collected | 28 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 50: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/38051bc2-325a-4158-94e9-2213201ad2eb.md)

### Question 51: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/734b2635-689e-46e6-a74b-60261f6010fd.md)

### Question 52: 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?

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

### Question 53: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/cf94c8a8-7cc8-4d72-926f-3633dc366991.md)

### Question 54: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/6206b275-3942-423e-a7fd-f23f4b3651e7.md)

### Question 55: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/44b3abe3-7f32-4dd4-8275-9428d384c709.md)

### Question 56: 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/e737e0d7-07e0-4718-84bd-19bd34178090.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 28 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 28 | 28 |
| Labour | 28 | 28 |
| Greens | 25 | 28 |
| ACT | 28 | 28 |
| NZ First | 23 | 28 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 5 | 28 |
| TOP | 2 | 28 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Each row is one of this voter's topics. Each column is a party. The figure shows how often the party was named in the answers.

This table shows the answers recorded on 23 October. The coloured bars summarise how statements about each party were assessed; select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Economy | National | 8 | 8 | 25 | 29 | 5 | 3 |
| Economy | Labour | 8 | 8 | 25 | 28 | 2 | 5 |
| Economy | Greens | 6 | 8 | 9 | 24 | 2 | 3 |
| Economy | ACT | 8 | 8 | 14 | 27 | 4 | 4 |
| Economy | NZ First | 6 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 1 |
| Economy | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | TOP | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 4 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 4 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 4 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tax and public spending | National | 4 | 4 | 19 | 32 | 0 | 1 |
| Tax and public spending | Labour | 4 | 4 | 16 | 29 | 1 | 3 |
| Tax and public spending | Greens | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| Tax and public spending | ACT | 4 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| Tax and public spending | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Tax and public spending | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tax and public spending | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fuel and energy | National | 4 | 4 | 8 | 34 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | Labour | 4 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 3 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | Greens | 4 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | ACT | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Crime and justice | National | 4 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Crime and justice | Labour | 4 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Crime and justice | Greens | 4 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Crime and justice | ACT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Crime and justice | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Crime and justice | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Crime and justice | TOP | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Immigration | National | 4 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Immigration | Labour | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 5 |
| Immigration | Greens | 4 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Immigration | ACT | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| Immigration | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 0 |
| Immigration | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Immigration | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The café answer still compared tax relief, business expenses and security. It left out The Opportunity Party and Te Pāti Māori, both discussed in the earlier answer.

It made a useful distinction between help for a profitable business and help for one making a loss. The savings it described were not measured results for this café.

Gemini: “* *Evidence/Rationale:* NZ First argues this will instantly free up roughly $1 billion a year in cash flow for about 99% of Kiwi companies to reinvest or absorb cost spikes.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/questions/38051bc2-325a-4158-94e9-2213201ad2eb.md) · Answer ID: a5e95c1c-6e8d-4fa6-ae94-369cc6cf5205

Gemini: “Input Costs:* Business groups (such as Business Central and Hospitality NZ) note that while company tax cuts help profitable businesses, they offer little immediate relief for cafés operating at a loss or on razor-thin margins due to high fixed costs.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/38051bc2-325a-4158-94e9-2213201ad2eb.md) · Answer ID: 83b92704-817a-4734-818d-070a05fb2f25

## The sources behind these answers

The websites recorded with each assistant’s answers for this voter. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 6 |
| national.org.nz | 6 |
| greens.org.nz | 5 |
| nzfirst.nz | 5 |
| act.org.nz | 4 |
| bdo.nz | 3 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 3 |
| minterellison.co.nz | 2 |
| police.govt.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| bdo.nz | 3 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 3 |
| businesscentral.org.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| hospitality.org.nz | 1 |
| hospitalitybusiness.co.nz | 1 |
| livinginnz.co.nz | 1 |
| phcc.org.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| rnz.co.nz | 5 |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 4 |
| bdo.nz | 3 |
| nzbusiness.co.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 3 |
| elections.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| hospitality.org.nz | 2 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| act.org.nz | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 3 |
| rnz.co.nz | 3 |
| 1news.co.nz | 2 |
| instagram.com | 2 |
| lazygrid.digital | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| retail.kiwi | 2 |
| assets.kpmg.com | 1 |

Sources count once per answer. Source lists were recorded for 28 of this voter’s 28 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other websites include unclassified publishers.

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