Rotorua businesses face decision paralysis as election uncertainty delays decisions

Detailed summary

Political uncertainty is delaying decisions by businesses and households.

Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards 2026. Photo / Michelle Cutelli Photography

This year at the 35th Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards, we celebrated the legacy, with this year’s winners, finalists and entrants.

The whakataukī we carried through the evening was “Titiro whakamuri, haere whakamua – Look to the past to inform the future”.

The Rotorua Business Awards have helped shape the Rotorua business environment and as we look ahead to 2027, now is the perfect time for businesses to consider entering the awards.

The entry process, the contemplation, the team involvement and celebrating success are all good reasons to commit to being part of something bigger than oneself.

Our chamber president, Paul Ingram, presented a question on the night about the perception of a successful business. Too often it is begrudged, as though the owner is “lucky”.

Yet behind these businesses are people who studied, planned, took risks, built a team and gave people rewarding work.

If they can now take a moment to celebrate, take a holiday or work a shorter week, then good on them.

Celebrating success and having confidence to invest and grow is important for our city.

Opening of the article, excerpted from NZ Herald Business. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.