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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 have a mobility impairment, rent and want to keep living independently. I rely on accessible transport and support services. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on disability support funding, eligibility and individual choice?

I can compare the main parties’ documented positions and records on disability support, but it is important to note that parties may release further election policies before the 2026 New Zealand general election. The election campaign is currently underway, with disability support sitting alongside broader questions about public services, welfare, housing and cost pressures. Vote Compass 2026: Compare your views with party policies

For someone who rents, uses accessible transport, needs support services and wants to remain independent, the key questions to compare are:

  • Will disability support funding be stable and adequate?
  • How will eligibility and assessments work?
  • How much choice and control will disabled people have over supports, providers and daily living arrangements?

Current policy context (before comparing parties)

New Zealand’s disability support system has been undergoing changes. Current Disability Support Services (DSS) reforms include:

Individualised Funding is designed to give eligible disabled people more control over how supports are arranged, including choices about support workers and how assistance is delivered. Individualised Funding | Disability Support Services

Party comparison (disability support themes)

Party Funding approach Eligibility / access Individual choice and control
Christopher Luxon’s New Zealand National Party The government’s stated approach has emphasised making the disability support system financially sustainable while maintaining support. The current government has highlighted flexible funding changes as increasing choice while keeping allocations stable. Choice, control and certainty through flexible funding | Beehive.govt.nz The government has stated there are no plans to change DSS eligibility criteria as part of the current changes. New FAQs on the changes to DSS funding | Disability Support Services Supports more flexibility in how some funding is used, while retaining budgets, plans and accountability requirements. April 2026 Fact sheet - more choice and control with purchasing rules removed | Disability Support Services
New Zealand Labour Party Labour has generally argued for stronger public services and government investment; specific 2026 disability funding commitments should be checked against its election manifesto as it is released. Labour’s position has traditionally supported publicly funded disability services, but the precise 2026 eligibility proposals need confirmation from current policy releases. Labour has supported disability inclusion and services shaped around disabled people’s needs; details of any new individual-choice commitments should be checked against its campaign policy.
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand The Greens have generally advocated increased investment in social supports and a stronger focus on disability rights and inclusion; specific funding figures for 2026 should be verified from their election policy. The Greens have generally supported removing barriers to accessing support and strengthening rights-based approaches. The party has emphasised disabled people’s autonomy and participation in decisions affecting their lives.
ACT New Zealand ACT generally places more emphasis on fiscal restraint and targeted government spending; its disability-specific funding commitments should be checked in its election policy. ACT’s wider approach tends to focus on clear rules, accountability and individual responsibility; the effect on disability eligibility would depend on specific DSS policies. ACT may emphasise flexibility and personal choice where services are funded, but details matter for disabled people needing long-term supports.
New Zealand First New Zealand First’s disability-specific funding position should be checked against current election commitments. The party’s wider policies emphasise government responsibility for New Zealand citizens and public services, but DSS eligibility details require confirmation. Its position on individualised disability funding and service choice should be checked against current policy documents.

Issues that may matter most for your situation

Given your priorities, you may want to compare party policies against these practical questions:

1. Staying in your own home

Ask:

  • Will funding cover personal care, household support and equipment?
  • Will eligibility assessments recognise ongoing needs rather than only crisis needs?
  • Are there protections against losing supports after reassessment?

2. Accessible transport

Ask:

  • Will accessible public transport improve?
  • Are mobility schemes and transport subsidies protected?
  • Will rural and urban disabled people have equal access?

3. Renting and housing security

Ask:

  • Are there policies to increase accessible rental housing?
  • Will housing support reduce the risk of disabled renters being forced into unsuitable accommodation?

4. Choice and control

Ask:

  • Can you choose who supports you?
  • Can funding be used flexibly for what actually helps you live independently?
  • Are there safeguards against bureaucratic restrictions?

A useful way to assess candidates is to look beyond general disability statements and ask them specifically: “What will you do to ensure a disabled renter can remain living independently with reliable support, accessible transport and genuine choice over services?”

If you want, I can also make a more detailed party-by-party comparison using the latest 2026 manifestos and disability policy announcements as they become available.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

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Gemini · No location

I have a mobility impairment, rent and want to keep living independently. I rely on accessible transport and support services. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on disability support funding, eligibility and individual choice?

Navigating disability support, rental stability, accessible transport, and independent living is a critical priority, and political parties approach these issues through distinct lenses.

Here is how New Zealand’s political parties compare on key aspects of disability support funding, eligibility, individual choice, and independent living heading into the 2026 General Election:

1. Funding and Financial Sustainability

  • National Party: Focuses heavily on the fiscal stability and management of Disability Support Services (DSS) within tight budgetary constraints. Their approach leans toward ensuring predictable expenditure and national consistency in budget allocations, alongside a refreshed national disability strategy (2026–2030).
  • Labour Party: Approaches funding from a rights-based, equity framework aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Labour has centered its platform on repealing recent restrictive legislative proposals made by the current government and advocating for needs-based funding expansions.
  • Green Party: Advocates for significant increases in overall disability and social support funding. They support moving away from rigid, deficit-based funding pools and link support funding to broader welfare overhauls, such as working toward a Guaranteed Minimum Income.
  • ACT Party: Tends to emphasize fiscal restraint in state spending coupled with individual tax relief or targeted direct funding. They favor streamlined, less bureaucratic state structures while tightening overarching spending oversight.

2. Eligibility and Access Rules

  • National: Favors moving toward nationally standardized assessment and allocation tools to ensure uniformity across different regions of New Zealand, reducing postcode lotteries in how support is accessed.
  • Labour & The Greens: Both parties criticize rigid, bureaucratic eligibility criteria that gatekeep support. They advocate for simplified, accessible entry pathways that recognize the holistic realities of disabled people rather than narrow clinical definitions.
  • Te Pāti Māori: Emphasizes self-determination (tino rangatiratanga) and advocates for distinct, Māori-led authority over disability services for tāngata whaikaha Māori, aiming to shift service design away from centralized state-run eligibility models.

3. Individual Choice, Control, and "Enabling Good Lives"

  • The Greens & Labour: Explicitly align their policies with the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) principles, which champion full choice and control for disabled people over how they live, who supports them, and how their individualised funding is spent.
  • ACT: Favours a "cash-like" individualised funding model paid directly to the individual rather than through traditional provider agencies. The philosophy centers on consumer choice and market-style flexibility, though paired with strict rules on allowable uses.
  • National: Supports retaining elements of flexible funding and choice, but balances this with a strong emphasis on administrative oversight and national consistency.

4. Independent Living, Housing, and Transport

While comprehensive standalone transport or accessible housing manifestos vary by party, the broader blocs approach independent living through intersecting policies:

  • Rental Stabilité & Housing: Left-leaning parties (Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori) place a heavier emphasis on renters' rights, building accessible state and social housing stock, and increasing housing supplements. Center-right parties (National, ACT) focus more on supply-side housing reforms, tenancy market stability, and economic management to curb living costs.
  • Transport Accessibility: Parties supporting public transport expansion generally view accessible transit as a core equity issue. Universal design requirements for urban infrastructure and public transport fleets are heavily championed by the Greens and Labour, while National and ACT prioritize economic efficiency and targeted infrastructure investment.

Summary Checklist for Your Vote

  • If you prioritize rights-based system protection, expanding state-backed services, and adherence to Enabling Good Lives, look closely at Labour and the Greens.
  • If you prioritize fiscal predictability, national consistency in assessments, and managed flexibility, look at National.
  • If you prioritize direct, cash-like individualised funding and cutting agency bureaucracy, ACT's model matches that philosophy.
  • If you are looking for indigenous-led solutions for tāngata whaikaha, Te Pāti Māori centers community-led authority.

Are there specific areas—such as accessible public transport infrastructure or tenancy laws for renters—that you would like to dive deeper into?

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 have a mobility impairment, rent and want to keep living independently. I rely on accessible transport and support services. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on disability support funding, eligibility and individual choice?

New Zealand's political parties present sharply contrasting approaches to disability support funding, eligibility frameworks, and individual choice ahead of the 2026 general election , particularly following the passage of the government's Disability Support Services Act.

For a renter with a mobility impairment looking to maintain independent living and rely on accessible transport and support services, the core political divide lies between maintaining structured, centralized fiscal controls versus rights-led, co-designed self-determination models.

Party-by-Party Comparison

Political Party Funding & Financial Approach Eligibility Framework Individual Choice & Self-Determination
National Party Focuses on fiscal sustainability and managing a baseline multi-billion dollar investment; maintains existing flexible funding streams without introducing means-testing. Governed by the recently enacted legislative framework under the Ministry, maintaining current eligibility boundaries. Aims to balance consistent national service delivery with structured flexibility, though criticized by advocates for centralizing ministerial oversight.
Labour Party Committed to repealing the newly passed Disability Support Services legislation and redesigning funding systems. Rejects ministerial-led rationing of support; aligns eligibility definitions closely with disabled persons' advocacy groups. Centers self-determination and independent living, promising to rebuild the system directly alongside the disability community.
Green Party Advocates for increased baseline funding, higher income supports, and comprehensive investment in accessible public housing and transport. Rights-based statutory entitlement model opposing restrictive access criteria. Maximizes individual choice through fully enforceable accessibility standards and self-directed funding packages.
ACT New Zealand Favors tighter public spending constraints, streamlined administration, and reduced bureaucratic overhead. Emphasizes targeted allocation and market-based or contracted individual service models. Prioritizes individualised funding models, allowing disabled people to purchase specific market services independently.
New Zealand First Does not feature a standalone disability policy; addresses support via broader senior citizen and health frameworks. Relies on standard mainstream health and welfare eligibility guidelines. Focuses on practical, mainstream service accessibility rather than structural self-determination reforms.
Te Pāti Māori Centers tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and advocates for resourcing dedicated Māori-led whānau hauā solutions. Focuses on culturally equitable, community-led need recognition. Promotes autonomous, community-rooted individual and whānau choice.

Key Impacts for Independent Living and Renters

  • Transport and Housing Accessibility: Parties like the Greens place heavy emphasis on national mandates for accessible public transport and subsidized retrofitting or building of accessible rental housing. National and ACT focus more on individualized funding packages that can theoretically be applied toward personal transport or localized needs, but with less emphasis on universal infrastructural mandates. [Disability Responsiveness New Zealand]

  • Voice and Legislative Control: A major flashpoint for the 2026 election is Labour's pledge to repeal the current legislative framework, contrasting with National's stance that the framework brings necessary financial accountability to a multi-billion-dollar system without altering day-to-day eligibility.

  • Actionable Voting Resources: To review official party manifestos and find accessible voting arrangements for the election, consult the Electoral Commission (Vote.nz) and policy overviews via Disability Rights New Zealand.

Ask anything

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AI Overviews · No location

I have a mobility impairment, rent and want to keep living independently. I rely on accessible transport and support services. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on disability support funding, eligibility and individual choice?

AI Overview

Ahead of the November 7, 2026, New Zealand general election , disability support services, personal autonomy, independent living, and transport accessibility are core political flashpoints.

The political landscape is sharply divided following a series of government structural reforms. The table below outlines how the major political parties compare on disability support funding, eligibility, individual choice, and independent living.

Party Comparison: Disability and Independent Living Policies

Party Support Funding Eligibility Criteria Individual Choice & Independence Housing & Accessible Transport
National Focuses on financial stabilization of Disability Support Services (DSS) after stripping commissioning powers from Whaikaha. Maintains current criteria but introduced the Disability Support Services Bill , giving ministers powers to introduce income and asset testing. Replaced the flexible spending rules under the Enabling Good Lives framework with standardized purchasing guidelines. Continues general infrastructure funding but proposed reducing the government contribution to the Total Mobility scheme by 10%.
Labour Pledges to increase funding and reverse coalition structural freezes. Vows to fund pay equity settlements for 65,000 care workers. Promises to scrap the current Government’s Disability Support Services Bill. Rejects potential income/asset-based tiering. Commits to rebuilding the system in partnership with disabled people , restoring full choice over individual funding allocations. Commits to increasing accessible public housing stocks and strengthening nationwide public transport concessions.
Greens Advocates for fully funded, uncapped individual support budgets and completely restoring pay equity legislation for carers. Supports rights-based, universal eligibility regardless of relationship status, asset levels, or the specific cause of disability. Strongly backs the "Nothing about us without us" principle. Seeks to restore and legally embed the full individual autonomy of the Enabling Good Lives framework. Proposes a Disability Rights Law with enforceable accessibility standards for all new homes, buildings, and transport networks.
ACT Emphasizes smaller government and strict fiscal discipline , aiming to lower overall bureaucracy in the health and social sectors. Focuses funding purely on those with the highest clinical needs rather than expanding universal eligibility. Favors direct individualized funding (vouchers) so individuals bypass government providers, though within narrower purchasing rules. Supports market-driven housing options and private sector solutions over state-mandated accessibility quotas.
NZ First Manages funding primarily through seniors and general health policies rather than a standalone disability ministry. Operates within the current coalition framework to maintain fiscal limits on public support schemes. Focuses heavily on the formal workforce and structured community-residential care over self-directed individual funding packages. Previously sponsored an Accessibility Standards Bill to bake physical accessibility guidelines directly into new public transport hubs and schools.

Key Electoral Issues Impacting Renter Independence

  • The Disability Support Services Bill: Introduced by the National-led coalition government, this bill allows the government to apply income and asset testing to determine what level of state care an individual receives. Labour , the Greens , and Te Pāti Māori have fiercely opposed this, promising to repeal the bill to protect universal access to independent living funding.

  • Individual Choice (Flexible Funding): In 2024, the coalition government instituted purchasing restrictions on how individual funding allocations could be used. While some guidelines were eased in mid-2026, National and ACT support structured oversight to keep budgets stable. Labour and the Greens seek to give complete purchasing autonomy back to individuals to decide what equipment, transport, or lifestyle support best aids their independent living.

  • Renting and Housing Modifications: The Greens and Labour have criticized the scale-back of Kāinga Ora's universal design targets for accessible public housing. The left-leaning parties favor strict mandates for landlords to permit property modifications, while right-leaning parties favor giving private landlords more autonomy over properties.

  • Accessible Transport: Transport accessibility remains critical for community participation. Parties on the left campaign on building fully accessible networks and expanding Total Mobility card subsidies, whereas coalition initiatives have prioritized managing the long-term operational costs of the scheme.

You can track active community debates and upcoming political discussions through the Disabled Persons Assembly NZ (DPA) or follow candidate panels such as the IHC New Zealand National Disability Election Forum. 2026 General Election - Disabled Persons Assembly NZ📣 Candidate update for our Vote for Inclusive Futures: National

To help narrow down how specific policies will affect your day-to-day life, could you share:

  • Which specific support services you rely on most (e.g., individual flexible funding, equipment allocations, physical home modifications)?
  • Whether you primarily use public transit or rely on the Total Mobility scheme for taxis?
Ask anything

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