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Evidence · NZ Election 2026

Every question, every answer, every source

Everything the study collected, as it was collected on 5 October 2026. Read any answer in full, or download the tables behind every figure in the study.

questions
174
voters the questions were written as
32
answers collected, of 820 planned
815
answers compared like for like
800
pairs of national and town answers
124
answers with sources recorded
774
answers that showed a link
304

01

Every question, with its answers

Each question was written as a voter would ask it and went to all four assistants. Some were also asked from a town. Open a question to read every answer to it in full.

Showing 20 of 174 questions

Show all 174

02

The tables behind the study

Every figure on the study page comes from these tables. They are CSV files, which open in any spreadsheet.

  • Questions

    nz-election-2026-questions.csv

    One row per question.

    Question id, report reference, question, voter, issue, towns it was also asked from, answers per assistant

    174rows

    Download questions (CSV)

  • Answers

    nz-election-2026-answers.csv

    One row per answer, with its full text.

    Answer id, question id, assistant, town, words, parties named, showed a link, websites recorded as sources, compared like for like, full text

    815rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • Sources by answer

    nz-election-2026-sources.csv

    One row for each website recorded as a source of an answer.

    Answer id, question id, assistant, town, website, publisher type

    4,216rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • Checks against official sources

    nz-election-2026-checks.csv

    One row per statement checked.

    Check, answer id, assistant, what the answer said, verdict, what the source says, source, date

    17rows

    Download checks against official sources (CSV)

  • Who to vote for: coding

    nz-election-2026-guidance.csv

    One row per answer to the eight questions that asked who to vote for.

    Answer id, question id, assistant, what the answer did, the words that show it

    32rows

    Download who to vote for: coding (CSV)

  • Location and national answers

    nz-election-2026-towns.csv

    One row per question asked both nationally and from a location, for each assistant.

    Question, town, assistant, both answer ids, parties named nationally and from the town, same parties

    124rows

    Download location and national answers (CSV)

Use these tables to trace findings back to the original questions and answers. The full text of each answer is also on this page, under its question.

03

Read in full and checked

Some answers were read in detail or checked against official sources. Those appear on the study page, beside the findings they support.

ChatGPT · No location

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties proposing that could help a young worker afford everyday expenses without just shifting the cost elsewhere?

You’re asking a useful question for a first-time voter: not “which party is right?”, but “which policies would actually change my day-to-day finances, and how are they paid for?” I’ll compare the main approaches rather than tell you how to vote.

First, a quick note on how your vote works in New Zealand: you get two votes in a general election:

For someone who is 18, starting an apprenticeship, and trying to move toward independence, the policies most likely to affect you are usually:

  • take-home pay (taxes, wages)
  • transport costs
  • rent and housing supply
  • training/apprenticeships
  • inflation and everyday prices
  • whether government spending creates future costs through debt or taxes

How parties are approaching “making life affordable”

The 2026 election debate has a strong focus on cost of living, economic management and public services. New Zealand Parliament dissolved ahead of tight November vote Parties differ mainly on whether affordability is best improved by reducing taxes, increasing incomes/support, lowering specific costs, or changing market rules. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

Lowering what you pay directly

Some proposals focus on reducing bills rather than increasing wages.

Examples of approaches in the policy debate include:

  • reducing transport costs (for example, fare caps or cheaper/free public transport proposals)
  • reducing food costs through competition changes or removing certain taxes
  • lowering housing costs by increasing supply or changing housing rules

The argument for this approach is that a worker keeps more of their existing income. The question to examine is: does the policy reduce costs sustainably, or does it move costs onto taxpayers, businesses, or future governments? Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

Increasing take-home pay

Another approach is to leave workers with more money after tax.

Policies discussed in this area include:

  • changing income tax thresholds
  • targeted income support
  • wage and employment policies

For a young worker, the key question is: does it mainly help people already earning, or does it also help apprentices and lower-paid workers? Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

Apprenticeships and skills

Because you’re entering an apprenticeship, look closely at:

  • whether employers get incentives to take on apprentices
  • whether training costs are supported
  • whether qualifications lead to better-paid jobs

A policy that raises your future earning power may affect your finances more than a one-off payment, but it can take longer to show results.

Housing

Living with parents gives you a chance to build savings, but many young workers are thinking about the next step: renting or buying.

Different parties have proposed combinations of:

  • building more homes
  • changing planning/zoning rules
  • supporting affordable housing
  • changing taxes affecting property

The trade-off is usually between making housing cheaper for current buyers/renters and how those changes affect property owners, investors, government revenue and construction incentives. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

A way to compare parties without getting pulled into slogans

For each policy, ask:

  1. Who gets the benefit?

    • Me as an apprentice?
    • Low-income workers?
    • Families?
    • Businesses?
    • Homeowners?

  2. Who pays?

    • Reduced government spending?
    • Higher taxes?
    • Borrowing?
    • Businesses absorbing costs?
    • Future taxpayers?

  3. Is it a short-term relief or a long-term change?

    • A tax cut may help immediately.
    • Training, housing supply, or productivity policies may take years.

  4. Does it affect my situation specifically?

    • A policy aimed at homeowners may matter less to an 18-year-old renter.
    • A policy aimed at wages, transport, and training may matter more.

A useful place to compare the 2026 party policies side-by-side is Policy.nz 2026 election policy comparison, where you can filter by topics like incomes, employment, housing and the economy.

If you want, I can also make a “first-time voter/apprentice” comparison table of the major NZ parties (National, Labour, Greens, ACT, NZ First, Te Pāti Māori, TOP, etc.) focused only on wages, tax, rent, transport and training.

Ask anything

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Captured 5 October 2026 · shown as ChatGPT gave it, not a verified account

Gemini · No location

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties proposing that could help a young worker afford everyday expenses without just shifting the cost elsewhere?

Starting an apprenticeship at 18 while living with your parents is a massive and exciting step toward financial independence. Balancing tools, travel, and everyday costs on an apprentice wage is tough, and looking at how political parties plan to address this ahead of the 7 November 2026 general election is a smart way to decide your vote.

When looking at policies that help young workers afford everyday expenses without just shifting the burden onto someone else (like accumulating public debt or driving up inflation), parties generally approach the problem through two different economic lenses: targeted support/investments versus broad tax and structural reforms.

Key Policy Approaches Relevant to Young Workers

  • Targeted Industry Support & Tool Grants
    • The Approach: Parties like the Labour Party have focused on direct support for vocational learners, such as backing regional trades training and proposing targeted grants (e.g., funding to help apprentices cover initial tool and gear costs).
    • The Trade-off: Proponents argue this directly lowers the barrier to entry for high-paying trades without broad, untargeted spending. Critics, however, argue that government-funded grants are ultimately paid for through general taxation or reprioritised public funds.
  • Fees-Free and Vocational Education Refocusing
    • The Approach: Recent policy shifts (such as adjustments around vocational and trades training support in the tertiary and education sectors) focus on targeting funding toward work-based learning, industry training, and foundation education to ensure young people skill up for high-demand jobs.
    • The Trade-off: Shifting subsidies specifically toward trades aims to match workforce shortages directly with eager earners, though it involves scaling back or restructuring broader, universal tertiary schemes to keep the books balanced.
  • Cost-of-Living and Tax Relief Frameworks
    • The Approach: Centre-right and right-leaning parties (like National and ACT) typically focus on broad economic management, income tax threshold adjustments, and reducing regulatory red tape on businesses to stimulate job creation and increase net take-home pay organically.
    • The Trade-off: The idea is that letting people keep more of what they earn rewards work, but critics caution that broad tax cuts can constrain government spending on public infrastructure or health services unless matched by spending reductions elsewhere.
  • Wages and the Minimum Wage
    • The Approach: Left-leaning parties (like the Greens and Labour) generally advocate for regular increases to the minimum wage and living wage frameworks to protect workers against inflation.
    • The Trade-off: While this directly boosts an apprentice's or young worker's weekly envelope, business groups often warn that sharp increases can force small employers to pull back on hiring junior staff or raise prices for consumers.

How Your Vote Works in November

As you prepare to vote, keep in mind how New Zealand’s voting system functions:

  1. Enrolment: Make sure you are enrolled to vote (the deadline is 25 October 2026). Since you live at home, ensure your address details are up to date.
  2. Two Votes: You get an electorate vote (for your local MP) and a party vote (which dictates the overall proportion of seats a party gets in Parliament and is generally considered the most powerful vote).

To help narrow down which approach aligns best with your goals for financial independence: Are you more inclined to support policies that offer direct, targeted government assistance for your specific stage (like tool grants and training subsidies), or do you prefer broad economic strategies focused on tax relief and business growth?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 5 October 2026 · shown as Gemini gave it, not a verified account

Google AI Mode · No location

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties proposing that could help a young worker afford everyday expenses without just shifting the cost elsewhere?

First off, congratulations on starting your apprenticeship and taking steps toward your future! Turning 18 and balancing work with family life is a huge milestone.

A quick note on how voting works in Aotearoa New Zealand: under MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) voting, you get two votes. Your Party Vote decides the overall makeup of Parliament (which party gets how many seats), and your Electorate Vote chooses the local MP who represents the area you live in. You can check your enrolments and details via the VOTE.NZ website.

When it comes to everyday expenses like food, transport, and setting yourself up for financial independence, different political parties propose very different solutions. The catch—as you rightly pointed out—is that policies often "shift the cost" through taxes, borrowing, or market interventions.

Here is how the major parties approach the cost of living for young workers, focusing on what they propose and where the trade-offs or cost-shifting debates lie:

  • New Zealand Labour Party:

  • What they propose: Expanding apprenticeship support (like the Apprenticeship Boost style grants), a $20 weekly public transport fare cap, and removing costs for basic healthcare (free doctor visits and prescriptions).

  • The cost trade-off: To fund public services without straining everyday income taxes, Labour proposes a targeted Capital Gains Tax (excluding the family home). Critics argue that taxing investment property and corporate structures shifts a heavier compliance burden onto capital and can impact landlords/investors, while supporters argue it rebalances the tax system away from wage-earners.

  • New Zealand National Party:

  • What they propose: Focused on housing and easing the entry-level cost barriers by expanding first-home buyer loan schemes (like 5% deposit options with adjusted thresholds), loosening resource consenting bottlenecks to build cheaper housing, and reforming supermarket competition to lower grocery prices at the checkout.

  • The cost trade-off: National leans away from new broad taxes, instead looking to curb government spending and adjust public sector size. Critics argue that expanding buyer-support schemes like low-deposit home loans can artificially stimulate housing demand and push house prices higher if supply doesn't keep up (shifting costs into higher purchase prices).

  • ACT New Zealand:

  • What they propose: Freezing or restraining minimum wage increases in the short term to protect entry-level jobs from being cut, cutting red tape for business to lower consumer prices through competition, and reducing government department spending to enable broad income tax reduction.

  • The cost trade-off: Opposing mandated wage hikes means your direct hourly starting pay might grow slower, with ACT arguing that lower business costs will naturally reduce inflation and everyday prices. Critics counter that freezing wages during a high cost-of-living period directly squeezes workers' immediate purchasing power. [The Conversation]

  • Green Party:

  • What they propose: Direct intervention in everyday essentials, such as establishing a public grocery entity ("KiwiMart") by acquiring supermarket stores to drive down food prices, alongside free public transport.

  • The cost trade-off: These sweeping public ownership and market interventions carry massive upfront government costs ($6B over four years for food policies alone). The Greens propose funding this via a wealth tax on net worth over multi-million dollar thresholds. Critics argue this heavily taxes investment and business creation, while proponents say it targets accumulated wealth rather than young apprentices earning wages.

  • The Opportunity Party (TOP):

  • What they propose: Restructuring the tax system entirely away from income tax toward a Land Value Tax, paired with a universal basic income or savings framework designed to stop penalising people who work and save.

  • The cost trade-off: Shifting to a land tax changes who pays the bill—moving it from wages (which helps young workers keep more of their apprenticeship pay packet) to property and landholders. Critics debate how smoothly such a radical tax switch can be implemented without causing market disruptions.

How to weigh your vote:
As an apprentice, ask yourself whether you benefit more from direct subsidies (cheaper doctor visits, transport caps) which require broader government revenue/taxes, structural market changes (tackling housing or supermarket duopolies), or lower taxation on your initial wages paired with leaner public spending. You can read full manifestos directly on each party's official website as election day approaches to see which approach aligns best with your financial goals.

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Captured 5 October 2026 · shown as Google AI Mode gave it, not a verified account

AI Overviews · No location

I'm 18, starting an apprenticeship and living with my parents. I want to become financially independent but don't understand how voting works. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties proposing that could help a young worker afford everyday expenses without just shifting the cost elsewhere?

AI Overview

In the upcoming 2026 New Zealand General Election , political parties are addressing the cost-of-living crisis with contrasting economic strategies. As an 18-year-old apprentice, your immediate financial independence is directly tied to targeted support like apprentice grants, transit caps, and tax structures proposed by different sides of the political spectrum.

How Voting Works in New Zealand

New Zealand uses the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system. When you go to vote, you get two distinct votes on a single piece of paper:

  • Party Vote:

  • Chooses the political party you want in government.

  • Decides the total share of seats each party gets.

  • Electorate Vote:

  • Chooses the specific local MP representing your area.

  • The candidate with the most votes wins that seat.

What Parties are Proposing for Young Workers in 2026

Parties differ on whether the solution is structural tax relief or expanded public services and training subsidies.

The Coalition Government (National & ACT)

Focuses on curbing inflation by cutting government operational costs and providing structural tax breaks to grow personal wealth.

  • National:

  • Prioritizes curbing government spending.

  • Aims to lower general inflation pressures.

  • Maintained current targeted first-year apprenticeship settings.

  • ACT Party:

  • Proposes removing tax on KiwiSaver investment earnings.

  • Aims to boost compound long-term savings.

  • Advocates a simplified two-rate income tax system.

The Opposition (Labour & Greens)

Focuses on direct financial subsidies for apprentices and lowering everyday transport and medical costs.

  • Labour Party:

  • Expands Apprenticeship Boost to two full years.

  • Pays employers $500 per month to support you.

  • Introduces a $1,000 "Toolbox Grant" for new apprentices.

  • Implements a $20 weekly public transport cap.

  • Green Party:

  • Proposes completely free public transport for apprentices.

  • Caps transit fares at $2 for everyone else.

  • Advocates universal free dental and dental care expansions.

Minor Parties

  • Te Pāti Māori: Proposes a $30,000 tax-free threshold and removing GST from all food.

  • The Opportunity Party (TOP): Proposes a "Teal Deal" expanding targeted services for under-30s.

To help tailor this, would you like to explore:

  • How KiwiSaver tax changes affect an apprentice's take-home pay?
  • The criteria for current Fees Free eligibility for your trade?
  • Steps to check if you are registered to vote?
Ask anything

Captured 5 October 2026 · shown as AI Overviews gave it, not a verified account