# Hawke’s Bay — homeowner concerned about flooding

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 8 · Voter situations · R04

We own a home on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay and have school-age children. Flood risk, insurance and the cost of protecting our home are major concerns for us.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 4 |
| answers collected | 32 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked from, and nationally | Hastings |

## What this voter asked

### Question 154: Climate and disaster resilience

We own a home on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay and have school-age children. Flood risk, insurance and the cost of protecting our home are major concerns for us. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on long-term flood protection and recovery support for Hawke's Bay, and what would their plans mean for households on the Heretaunga Plains?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/5006aeff-8b4b-47b5-bc99-35be472d0190.md)

### Question 155: Infrastructure and local services

We own a home on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay and have school-age children. Flood risk, insurance and the cost of protecting our home are major concerns for us. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which Hawke's Bay flood-protection works are already funded or underway, and which are still future options or election promises? Who is responsible for delivering each?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/c8bd20cc-0524-4152-b20f-1b6d66939b4b.md)

### Question 156: Housing

We own a home on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay and have school-age children. Flood risk, insurance and the cost of protecting our home are major concerns for us. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose for homeowners in flood-prone places who face insurance problems or may need to relocate, and do any proposals specifically address Hawke's Bay?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/13d95e20-8126-4eae-b924-11588c1cc0f7.md)

### Question 157: Tax and public spending

We own a home on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay and have school-age children. Flood risk, insurance and the cost of protecting our home are major concerns for us. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How would parties share the cost of flood protection between central government, councils and affected homeowners, and what are the trade-offs for our family?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/ba8bbe4a-4c4c-49f7-b143-40a6bd7c0195.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 32 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 23 | 32 |
| Labour | 23 | 32 |
| Greens | 23 | 32 |
| ACT | 20 | 32 |
| NZ First | 19 | 32 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 11 | 32 |
| TOP | 15 | 32 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Compare the parties named in answers about this voter’s main concerns. The table compares 31 answers from each edition.

The coloured bars show whether statements about a party were positive, neutral, negative or mixed. Select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Climate and disaster resilience | National | 7 | 7 | 13 | 43 | 12 | 4 |
| Climate and disaster resilience | Labour | 7 | 7 | 18 | 35 | 4 | 4 |
| Climate and disaster resilience | Greens | 7 | 7 | 27 | 32 | 3 | 2 |
| Climate and disaster resilience | ACT | 6 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 9 | 4 |
| Climate and disaster resilience | NZ First | 6 | 7 | 13 | 32 | 6 | 2 |
| Climate and disaster resilience | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Climate and disaster resilience | TOP | 3 | 7 | 19 | 24 | 2 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Infrastructure and local services | National | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Labour | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Greens | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | ACT | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | NZ First | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | TOP | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Housing | National | 7 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| Housing | Labour | 7 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| Housing | Greens | 7 | 8 | 6 | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| Housing | ACT | 7 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Housing | NZ First | 6 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Housing | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Housing | TOP | 7 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 1 | 1 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tax and public spending | National | 8 | 8 | 5 | 36 | 11 | 3 |
| Tax and public spending | Labour | 8 | 8 | 16 | 25 | 4 | 5 |
| Tax and public spending | Greens | 8 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 1 | 6 |
| Tax and public spending | ACT | 6 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 5 |
| Tax and public spending | NZ First | 6 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 5 |
| Tax and public spending | Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Tax and public spending | TOP | 5 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 2 |

## How Gemini’s answer changed

The Hawke’s Bay flood answer added ACT and NZ First, taking the number of parties named from four to six. It gave more attention to local councils, flood works, rates and insurance.

The parties were still grouped into two broad camps. The answer did not provide a costed local allocation or establish what protection or compensation this household would receive.

Gemini: “Because specific, granular party manifesto commitments addressing direct insurance underwriting guarantees or localized Heretaunga Plains stopbank funding vary across the political spectrum, the major political blocs generally approach these challenges through distinct philosophical and policy lenses:”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/5006aeff-8b4b-47b5-bc99-35be472d0190.md) · Answer ID: 7e8b9dc0-eeaa-47c8-897b-a2d742dca920

Gemini: “*   **National-led Government (and Coalition Partners ACT / NZ First):**”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/5006aeff-8b4b-47b5-bc99-35be472d0190.md) · Answer ID: 89c0a3e2-8da2-47a9-b1ed-8c9965970989

## Websites cited in these answers

Compare the websites cited in answers for this voter situation. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| hbrc.govt.nz | 7 |
| greens.org.nz | 5 |
| environment.govt.nz | 4 |
| hastingsdc.govt.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| interest.co.nz | 3 |
| opportunity.org.nz | 3 |
| hawkesbaynews.co.nz | 2 |
| insurancebusinessmag.com | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| hbrc.govt.nz | 4 |
| resilientrivers.nz | 2 |
| baybuzz.co.nz | 1 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 1 |
| environment.govt.nz | 1 |
| hawkesbaynews.co.nz | 1 |
| insurancebusinessmag.com | 1 |
| martinjenkins.co.nz | 1 |
| moneyhub.co.nz | 1 |
| realestate.co.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| rnz.co.nz | 6 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 5 |
| hbrc.govt.nz | 2 |
| icnz.org.nz | 2 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |
| resilientrivers.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| environment.govt.nz | 6 |
| facebook.com | 6 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 6 |
| hbrc.govt.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| hastingsdc.govt.nz | 3 |
| icnz.org.nz | 3 |
| insurspy.co.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| resilientrivers.nz | 3 |

Each website counts once per answer. The comparison covers 31 answers from each edition; 29 of this edition’s answers included citations. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

[Previous: Tauranga / western Bay of Plenty — family balancing housing and commuting](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/voters/r03)

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