# Small exporter planning investment

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 5 · Voter profiles · S11

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers.

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

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 6 |
| answers collected | 24 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 57: Economy

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on business investment, productivity and support for small exporters?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/91b36a04-9b98-43b4-b0af-5957145b3a9a.md)

### Question 58: Foreign affairs and defence

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about trade access, international relationships and risks to New Zealand exports?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/c0652968-50ca-4bc4-b476-06d4a4e46c1c.md)

### Question 59: Jobs and unemployment

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What plans do parties have for vocational skills, training and the availability of skilled workers?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/f61c1e75-be45-4492-b364-e753cc9a3fad.md)

### Question 60: Immigration

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How would party immigration policies affect hiring skilled staff from overseas?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/b0fd1b26-8bbe-4d5c-8ee4-ddac28bb943c.md)

### Question 61: Infrastructure and local services

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties address freight, ports and transport infrastructure in their plans for business?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/7c2059ed-af87-42b2-b21c-5544acdffcb8.md)

### Question 62: Fuel and energy

I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties' energy and fuel policies affect businesses making and moving goods?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/329da0c8-78c0-4824-b542-0c1efdf693dc.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 24 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 24 | 24 |
| Labour | 24 | 24 |
| Greens | 23 | 24 |
| ACT | 23 | 24 |
| NZ First | 20 | 24 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 9 | 24 |
| TOP | 5 | 24 |

## 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 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | Labour | 4 | 4 | 11 | 32 | 5 | 2 |
| Economy | Greens | 4 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 1 |
| Economy | ACT | 4 | 4 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| Economy | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 17 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Economy | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | TOP | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Foreign affairs and defence | National | 4 | 4 | 13 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Foreign affairs and defence | Labour | 4 | 4 | 9 | 26 | 3 | 0 |
| Foreign affairs and defence | Greens | 4 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| Foreign affairs and defence | ACT | 4 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Foreign affairs and defence | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Foreign affairs and defence | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Foreign affairs and defence | TOP | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 4 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 3 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 4 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Immigration | National | 4 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Immigration | Labour | 4 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
| Immigration | Greens | 4 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Immigration | ACT | 4 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 2 |
| Immigration | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| Immigration | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Immigration | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Infrastructure and local services | National | 4 | 4 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Labour | 4 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 1 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Greens | 4 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 1 |
| Infrastructure and local services | ACT | 4 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | 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 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | Labour | 4 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 4 |
| Fuel and energy | Greens | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | ACT | 3 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel and energy | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The exporter answer gave more detail on investment allowances, depreciation and a research proposal attributed to The Opportunity Party. Payment terms remained part of the discussion.

Tax and cash flow received more attention than freight resilience. The answer was not a costed assessment of this firm's proposed investment.

Gemini: “* **Labor & Skills:** Proposes a **three-year minimum wage freeze** and a lower training minimum wage for workers under 20 (moving from 80% to 60% of the adult minimum) to reduce entry-level labor costs.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/questions/91b36a04-9b98-43b4-b0af-5957145b3a9a.md) · Answer ID: 3240d498-5482-42cd-bf39-2fa74a82705f

Gemini: “*   **Tax Shift:** Proposes to *repeal* the Investment Boost scheme, redirecting funds into a **Small Business Action Plan**.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/91b36a04-9b98-43b4-b0af-5957145b3a9a.md) · Answer ID: ed69a2e7-cde0-4701-a923-35f673718ac0

## 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 |
| --- | --- |
| act.org.nz | 6 |
| labour.org.nz | 6 |
| national.org.nz | 6 |
| nzfirst.nz | 6 |
| bdo.nz | 4 |
| greens.org.nz | 4 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 3 |
| awaaz.co.nz | 1 |
| b2bnews.co.nz | 1 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| bdo.nz | 3 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 3 |
| kiwicoaches.co.nz | 2 |
| whichparty.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| businesscentral.org.nz | 1 |
| exportnz.org.nz | 1 |
| istart.co.nz | 1 |
| nzfirst.nz | 1 |
| policy.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| bdo.nz | 3 |
| rnz.co.nz | 3 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| anzasw.nz | 1 |
| businesscentral.org.nz | 1 |
| farmersweekly.co.nz | 1 |
| kas.de | 1 |
| kiwicoaches.co.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| rnz.co.nz | 6 |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| bdo.nz | 3 |
| facebook.com | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 3 |
| apex.org.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| kas.de | 2 |
| kiwicoaches.co.nz | 2 |

Sources count once per answer. Source lists were recorded for 24 of this voter’s 24 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other websites include unclassified publishers.

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