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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. Do the parties differ on the cost and availability of vocational training?

Yes. For someone in your position, the parties do differ quite a bit on vocational training, especially on who pays, how apprenticeships are supported, and how much government should expand trade-training places.

One important distinction first: your apprenticeship itself is work-based training. Under the current system, you are employed while working toward a qualification, with an employer and a tertiary/work-based training provider involved. Code of Good Practice for New Zealand Apprenticeships | Tertiary Education Commission

How voting works in NZ

New Zealand uses MMP (Mixed Member Proportional). You get two votes:

  • Party vote: choose the party you want represented in Parliament. This is the vote that largely determines how many seats each party gets.
  • Electorate vote: choose the individual candidate you want representing your local electorate.

You can vote for different parties/candidates with your two votes. A party generally needs 5% of the party vote or an electorate seat to enter Parliament. What is MMP? | Elections NZ

For the 2026 election, voting day is Saturday 7 November 2026. You need to be enrolled by Sunday 25 October; early voting starts 26 October. What to do | Vote NZ

So if you're mainly interested in national policy on apprenticeships, the party vote is the one to pay particular attention to.

What the parties are proposing on vocational training

Here's the practical comparison based on policies currently published for the 2026 election:

Party Apprenticeships / vocational training What it means for cost & access
Labour Expand Apprenticeship Boost: employer payments would extend to two years; a $1,000 toolbox grant for new apprentices; five additional trades would become eligible; mentoring would also be piloted. Labour's Apprenticeship Boost Expansion More direct financial help around the cost of starting an apprenticeship, plus broader eligibility.
National Has supported the current shift toward industry-led vocational education and maintained Apprenticeship Boost funding. It has also moved away from first-year Fees Free toward final-year Fees Free. Nicola Willis - 2024 Budget Speech | National Party Less emphasis on making training universally free upfront; more emphasis on completing qualifications and employer/industry-led training.
ACT The current government has been increasing trade-training capacity; ACT has specifically highlighted doubling trade-training apprentices and moving funding away from universal first-year university Fees Free. ACT New Zealand Strong emphasis on expanding trades rather than subsidising university study broadly.
NZ First Its published policies have proposed free apprenticeships in in-demand occupations, by refunding fees/course costs after successful trade examinations, and making Apprenticeship Boost permanent. 2023 Election Policies - NZ First Potentially significant reduction in training costs if your trade qualifies, but the proposal is targeted at in-demand trades rather than every apprenticeship.
Green Party Proposes substantially greater public support for education, including fees-free tertiary education and paid placements; its 2026 manifesto sets out a broader expansion of publicly funded education. Manifesto 2026 - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand More emphasis on reducing education costs and increasing public support for learners.
Te Pāti Māori Has proposed Māori-led employment/training initiatives, including a Māori-led job-training programme. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz Particularly relevant if Māori-led vocational/employment pathways are important to you.

There are also smaller parties with vocational proposals, so you don't have to restrict your research to the parties above.

One big thing to understand about the current system

The vocational system itself has just undergone a major change. From 1 January 2026, New Zealand moved to a new VET structure, including eight Industry Skills Boards and ten independent regional polytechnics, replacing the previous centralised Te Pūkenga model progressively. Changes to the vocational education and training (VET) system | Tertiary Education Commission

That means "what happens to apprenticeships" isn't just about fees. Government decisions can affect:

  • how many apprentices employers can take on;
  • whether your particular trade receives targeted funding;
  • how much your training provider charges;
  • availability of training in your region;
  • mentoring and pastoral support;
  • whether tools, equipment or course materials are subsidised;
  • and what happens to the qualification/training provider structure.

One particularly relevant issue for you

The current government has already changed Fees Free. The final-year Fees Free scheme ends at the end of 2026, while funding is being redirected toward fees-free vocational education at secondary and foundation levels. Budget 2026 also allows tertiary providers to increase tuition/training fees by up to 6% in 2027. Tertiary education initiatives - Ministry of Education

So if you're thinking, "I'm 18, I'm earning while apprenticing, and I want to avoid getting buried in training costs" — don't just look at whether a party says "Fees Free." Look at which training it covers, when you receive the benefit, and whether it covers an apprenticeship like yours.

If you tell me what trade you're apprenticing in (e.g. electrician, plumbing, automotive, building, hairdressing, etc.), I can compare the 2026 parties specifically for your trade, including likely training fees, apprenticeship support and the policies that could affect your ability to become financially independent.

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. Do the parties differ on the cost and availability of vocational training?

Congratulations on starting your apprenticeship! Taking that step at 18 while looking toward financial independence is a massive achievement.

When it comes to the 2026 New Zealand general election, political parties do have distinct philosophies and approaches regarding the cost, structure, and availability of vocational training and apprenticeships.

Key Ways Parties Differ on Vocational Training

  • Funding Support and Direct Subsidies:
    • Parties on the left (such as Labour) historically lean toward direct government intervention and subsidies to lower the barriers for entry. For instance, Labour has campaigned on expanding support initiatives like the Apprenticeship Boost scheme (providing ongoing financial backing to employers to keep apprentice numbers stable) and introducing targeted direct grants—such as tool grants for first-year apprentices—to offset upfront personal setup costs.
    • Parties on the right (such as National and ACT) typically favour industry-led models, focusing on economic conditions that encourage private business growth, workplace flexibility, and streamlined vocational structures rather than direct government stipends.
  • Targeted Demographics and Regional Training:
    • Left-leaning and Māori-centric parties (Labour, Te Pāti Māori) often propose ring-fenced funding for targeted groups, such as Māori-led trades training initiatives or regional programs aimed at getting youth into education, employment, or training (EEOT).
    • Center-right parties generally prefer universal workplace training frameworks (like the redesign of Te Pūkenga into smaller, independent polytechnics and industry-led training entities) aimed at matching direct employer demand without what they view as administrative bloat.
  • Institutional Structure (Polytechnics vs. Workplaces):
    • Parties differ heavily on how vocational education is organized institutionally. Centre-right governments have focused on dismantling or restructuring large centralized entities (like breaking up the mega-polytechnic Te Pūkenga) to give regional polytechnics and private training establishments (PTEs) more localized autonomy. Other parties argue for stronger central coordination and public backing to keep training fees low or free.

What This Means for Your Apprenticeship

As an apprentice, your day-to-day training cost is heavily tied to whether your employer supports your off-job block courses and whether industry training organizations (ITOs or their modern equivalents) have government-subsidized fees.

  • If you want lower upfront costs and targeted government grants (like tool subsidies or extra support for your employer to keep you on), parties like Labour align more closely with those policies.
  • If you prefer a market-driven approach focused on business confidence, deregulation, and independent regional training providers, centre-right parties align closer with those goals.

To make the best decision for your future financial independence, checking out the specific policy manifestos on party websites or independent voting tools (like Policy.nz) closer to election day can give you a precise look at how each party plans to fund your specific industry.

Are you leaning toward a particular trade yet, and how are you finding your first few weeks on the tools?

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. Do the parties differ on the cost and availability of vocational training?

First off, congratulations on starting your apprenticeship and taking that big step toward your future while living at home! Figuring out the political landscape can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but wanting to understand how your vote impacts your career and financial independence is a great place to start.

Yes, New Zealand political parties do differ in how they view, fund, and support vocational training and apprenticeships. While most parties agree that trades and skills are important, their approaches to the cost, target areas, and availability of these pathways vary.

Here is a breakdown of how the major parties approach vocational training and apprenticeships for the 2026 general election cycle:

  • The Labour Party focuses heavily on expanding direct financial support for both employers and individual apprentices. Their 2026 commitments include expanding the Apprenticeship Boost scheme (which provides employer subsidies to help keep apprentices earning while training), introducing a $1,000 tool grant for apprentices, and expanding coverage into additional trades. They also back targeted by-Māori-for-Māori vocational training funds.

  • The National-led Government has focused its recent vocational investments earlier in the pipeline—such as doubling high school trades academy places (from 10,000 to 20,000) to give students hands-on vocational exposure before they even leave school. Their broader approach leans heavily on structural qualification and industry-led standard reforms via Industry Skills Boards rather than broad, open-ended universal wage subsidies for all employers, often criticizing broad-scale spending extensions due to fiscal constraints.

  • ACT and National generally favor streamlined, industry-aligned training structures and question the fiscal cost of broad government-funded wage subsidies, preferring market-led alignment where training directly mirrors immediate economic demand. [RNZ]

  • The Green Party and Te Pāti Māori generally advocate for heavily subsidized or fully free tertiary and vocational education, expanding public sector training infrastructure, and implementing targeted training programs directed at regional development, environmental/conservation jobs, or specific equity groups.

How to research further for your vote:

Because party policies can shift or get detailed in different ways right up until election day, it's worth checking out neutral tools to compare exact stances side-by-side:

  • Explore the non-partisan Policy.nz guide to see how every registered party compares specifically on trades, vocational education, and student/trainee support.

  • Read up on ongoing policy announcements via public broadcasters like RNZ Politics.

Remember, as an 18-year-old apprentice, your day-to-day reality—balancing tools, wages, and training costs—puts you in a great position to judge which of these approaches makes the most sense for your wallet and your career path.

Ask anything

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. Do the parties differ on the cost and availability of vocational training?

AI Overview

Congratulations on starting your apprenticeship—earning while learning is a major step toward building real financial independence.

In New Zealand, the general election on November 7, 2026 , determines who forms the government and how your training is managed. The main political parties differ significantly on how vocational training should be structured, funded, and subsidised.

Here is how voting works in NZ and how the parties approach your training.

Step 1: Understand how voting works in NZ

New Zealand uses the Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) voting system. When you go to vote, you get one ballot paper and make two separate votes :

  1. The Party Vote (The most important vote): You choose the political party you want to lead the country. This vote decides the total percentage of seats each party gets in Parliament.

  2. The Electorate Vote: You choose the specific local Member of Parliament (MP) to represent your local area (electorate).

How to vote: You must enrol to vote on Vote NZ by October 25, 2026. You can vote early via "advance voting" starting October 26, or go to a local voting place on Election Day (November 7). No ID is required.

Step 2: Compare party policies on vocational training

The governing coalition (National and ACT) and the opposition (Labour and the Greens) have deeply contrasting ideas about the cost, structure, and availability of apprenticeships.

Political Party Core Policy Focus Impact on Costs & Allowances How Training is Managed
National Party (Current Government) Industry-led training and early-stage pathways Under National, "Fees Free" applies to the final year of training rather than the first. They heavily funded high school trades academies to create pipelines into apprenticeships. Dismantled the mega-polytech "Te Pūkenga". Shifted work-based learning to local polytechnics and Industry Skills Boards (ISBs) to keep training highly aligned with what employers want.
Labour Party (Opposition) Direct financial support for apprentices & employers Proposed to expand the Apprenticeship Boost scheme to a two-year employer subsidy ($500/month). Promises a $1,000 "toolbox grant" directly to apprentices to help with startup equipment costs. Wants to open apprenticeship subsidies to a wider range of trades (e.g., road building, water treatment, hairdressing) to broaden availability.
ACT New Zealand (In Government) Fiscal restraint and cutting red tape Focuses on value-for-money. ACT generally questions large state subsidies (like Labour's expanded grants) to avoid government borrowing and inflation. Supports National’s industry-led model, aiming to minimize bureaucratic oversight so businesses can train staff quickly and cheaply.
Green Party (Opposition) State-funded regional support and green pathways Strongly advocates for fully funding regional polytechnics so training is accessible anywhere, not just in main centers. Criticized the government's polytech reforms for causing staff cuts. They plan to create 40,000 "green jobs" through state-funded community and conservation training pathways.

Summary of options

  • If you prefer direct cash assistance for tools and want your employer to receive longer subsidies to keep you employed, look closer at Labour's platform.

  • If you prefer a system led directly by businesses and industry boards with a focus on high school transitions and lower government spending, look closer at National or ACT.

  • If you want a focus on regional public polytech infrastructure or specific environmental/community trade pathways, look closer at the Greens.

Ask anything

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