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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 an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties want to do about food and bills? Explain the differences simply.

It’s a good question to focus on everyday costs. “Cost of living” is a phrase politicians use a lot; in simple terms, it means how much of your income is taken up by essentials like groceries, power, petrol, rent, mortgages, and other bills. In the 2026 New Zealand election, parties broadly disagree about whether the best solution is lower taxes and fewer government costs, more government support and services, or stronger rules on businesses and markets. Cost of Living Policy: Where NZ Parties Stand in 2026 | WhichParty NZ

Here’s a plain-English comparison of the main approaches:

Party/approach Food prices (groceries) Other bills and household costs
Christopher Luxon’s New Zealand National Party approach Focuses more on competition: encouraging more businesses to compete with supermarkets and reducing barriers for new entrants. Emphasises tax relief, economic growth, and controlling government spending as ways to help households keep more money. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz
Chris Hipkins’s New Zealand Labour Party approach Supports stronger action on supermarket practices and making the grocery supply chain fairer. Places more emphasis on government investment and support, arguing that services and targeted help can reduce pressure on families. Election 2026: How the main parties plan to improve the grocery sector
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand approach Supports stronger supermarket regulation and changes to give consumers more power. Favors more government action, such as expanding affordable services and support, funded through changes to taxes and spending priorities. Election 2026: How the main parties plan to improve the grocery sector
ACT New Zealand approach Generally prefers fewer rules and more competition between businesses. Argues that reducing government size, regulation, and taxes can lower costs over time. Cost of Living Policy: Where NZ Parties Stand in 2026 | WhichParty NZ
New Zealand First approach Has supported measures aimed at increasing competition and changing market structures. Generally focuses on targeted support and policies it says protect New Zealand consumers and communities. Election 2026: How the main parties plan to improve the grocery sector
Te Pāti Māori approach Has supported stronger community control and fairness measures around essentials. Focuses on reducing hardship through targeted support and addressing inequality. Election 2026: How the main parties plan to improve the grocery sector

The big differences, without political jargon

Think of the debate as three different “recipes” for making life more affordable:

  1. “Let people keep more of their own money”

    • Lower taxes or fewer government costs.
    • The argument: households and businesses make better decisions with more money in their hands.
    • Critics argue this may not directly help people who are struggling most with essentials.

  2. “Government should do more to reduce pressure”

    • More subsidies, public services, or income support.
    • The argument: some costs are too high for individuals to solve alone.
    • Critics argue this requires more government spending, which may mean higher taxes or borrowing.

  3. “Change the rules of the market”

    • Stronger regulation of supermarkets, energy companies, landlords, or other industries.
    • The argument: some markets do not have enough competition.
    • Critics argue too many rules can create costs or discourage investment.

For food specifically, a major disagreement is whether groceries are expensive mainly because of too little competition (so change the market rules), or whether the bigger issue is overall economic pressure (so improve incomes, taxes, and economic growth). Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

A useful way to compare parties before voting is to ask:

  • Do I think government should mainly step in, or mainly get out of the way?
  • Would I rather receive more direct help, or pay less tax?
  • Do I think businesses need tighter rules, or more freedom to compete?

Also remember that in New Zealand’s MMP system you usually have two votes: a party vote (which largely determines the balance of Parliament) and an electorate vote (for your local candidate). Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

If you want, I can also make a one-page “2026 NZ election explained for first-time voters” guide covering the major parties, voting system, and key issues in plain language.

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Gemini · No location

I'm an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties want to do about food and bills? Explain the differences simply.

Welcome to voting! It is completely normal to find political jargon confusing, and wanting clear, straightforward answers is a great place to start.

When it comes to the cost of living, food prices, and household bills for the 2026 New Zealand general election, the major political parties approach the problem in very different ways. Broadly, parties fall into camps emphasizing tax cuts and free-market competition versus government-led price controls and targeted financial support.

1. The National-Led Approach: Growth, Tax Relief, and Lower Spending

  • The Core Idea: National believes that the best way to help with bills and food costs is to grow the overall economy, control government spending, and put more money directly back into people's pockets through tax adjustments.
  • On Bills and Costs: They focus heavily on cutting back "low-value" government spending and reducing red tape or regulations that they argue drive up business costs (which eventually get passed on to consumers at the checkout or in power bills).
  • Targeted Help: For example, in response to fuel and energy pressures, they have leaned into measures like time-limited tax credits for working families rather than broad price controls.

2. The Labour Approach: Market Intervention and Direct Relief

  • The Core Idea: Labour believes the government should step in directly to regulate high costs and relieve specific household pressures, particularly regarding groceries and daily essentials.
  • On Food and Supermarkets: To tackle high food prices, Labour focuses on breaking up the power of the major supermarket "duopoly" (Foodstuffs and Woolworths), making price gouging illegal, and pushing for fairer wholesale and retail market structures.
  • On Bills: They propose direct cost-relief policies, such as capping public transport fares at $20 a week and expanding free healthcare access (like GP visits) to reduce everyday out-of-pocket expenses.

3. ACT: Cutting Spending and Business Regulations

  • The Core Idea: ACT argues that high prices are largely driven by excessive government spending, debt, and regulations.
  • On Bills: They propose sweeping cuts to government programs and regulations to lower the cost of doing business, which they argue will naturally drive down prices and create a more productive economy.

4. The Green Party: Wealth Redistribution and Market Reforms

  • The Core Idea: The Greens focus heavily on structural economic reform to help lower-income households struggling with food and housing bills.
  • On Food and Bills: They support major structural changes, such as breaking up major supermarket chains (and potentially introducing a government-backed or cooperative alternative), alongside progressive tax changes like wealth taxes to fund public support and income safety nets.

5. New Zealand First: Direct Intervention on Monopolies

  • The Core Idea: NZ First emphasizes cracking down on corporate monopolies and targeting specific cost-of-living drivers.
  • On Food: They strongly advocate for breaking up the supermarket duopoly to drive down grocery prices, viewing increased market competition as essential for keeping food affordable.

Summary Checklist for Your Vote

  • If you want lower taxes and less government spending/regulation: Look toward parties like National or ACT.
  • If you want government intervention, price checks, and caps on everyday services: Look toward parties like Labour or the Greens.

Would you like to explore what any specific party is proposing for housing or healthcare bills?

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 an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties want to do about food and bills? Explain the differences simply.

The major political parties in New Zealand approach the cost of living, food, and household bills differently, focusing either on lowering taxes and encouraging business competition or on direct financial support, market regulation, and public services.

The Electoral Commission oversees the general election scheduled for ****. Different parties propose distinct economic strategies to ease the pressure on household budgets.

Main Political Approaches to Food and Bills

  • National Party : Focuses on reducing income taxes, adjusting tax thresholds, and cutting red tape for businesses to lower operational costs. They argue that letting people keep more of their wages and making it easier for companies to compete will naturally drive down prices and ease household bills.

  • Labour Party : Focuses on direct relief and protecting consumers from high prices, particularly at the supermarket. They tend to support targeted financial assistance for lower- and middle-income families, boosting public services to reduce out-of-pocket costs, and using regulatory bodies to crack down on corporate price-gouging or lack of supermarket competition.

  • Green Party : Emphasizes systemic changes such as increasing income support (like benefits and student allowances), introducing guaranteed baseline incomes or tax-free brackets for lower earners, and implementing specific market interventions or GST removals on essentials like fresh food to directly lower grocery bills.

  • ACT Party : Advocates for significant government spending cuts, sweeping reductions in regulations, and lower company and personal taxes. They believe that reducing government intervention and public spending will curb inflation and make the overall economy more efficient and affordable.

  • New Zealand First : Focuses heavily on local manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and cutting costs on everyday necessities like fuel and energy by challenging taxes or levies on essential goods, aiming to protect domestic production to keep food and utility prices stable.

  • Te Pāti Māori : Focuses on lifting whānau out of poverty through structural economic reform, removing GST entirely from food and basic essentials, raising baseline incomes, and providing targeted support specifically for lower-income households and Māori communities facing high living costs.

Key Differences at a Glance

Approach Main Goal How They Plan to Do It
Tax Cuts & Market Freedom (National, ACT) Let you keep more money and boost business competition Income tax adjustments, reducing business regulations, cutting government spending
Direct Support & Regulation (Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori) Lower immediate costs and control essential service prices Removing GST on food, boosting income support/benefits, strengthening market watchdogs
Economic Nationalism (NZ First) Protect local production and cut fuel/energy levies Supporting local supply chains, reducing taxes on transport and basic fuel

You can explore detailed party manifestos and compare specific policies side-by-side using platforms like Policy.nz.

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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 an eligible voter who finds political jargon difficult and hasn't voted before. I want clear explanations without being talked down to. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties want to do about food and bills? Explain the differences simply.

AI Overview

For the 2026 New Zealand general election, political parties have vastly different plans to tackle the cost of food and bills. The National Partyaims to increase supermarket competition and lower taxes, Labourplans to ban corporate price gouging and subsidize daily utilities, the Green Partywants to build a state-owned supermarket chain and lower power bills, and ACTproposes cutting government spending and energy taxes to lower consumer prices.

Quick Comparison: Plans for Food and Bills

Political Party Plan for Food Prices 🛒 Plan for Household Bills ⚡
National Party Split up the Foodstuffs cooperative (separating Pak'nSave from New World) to force lower prices, if approved by the Commerce Commission. Focus on overall economic growth and higher wages rather than introducing new subsidies or government-run programs.
Labour Party Make it illegal for large supermarkets to charge "excessive prices" and force them to separate their wholesale and retail divisions. Introduce SolarSaver to lower power bills, freeze fuel taxes for three years, and cap weekly public transport fares at $20.
Green Party Buy back 120 Woolworths and Foodstuffs stores to launch KiwiMart, a state-owned, low-cost supermarket chain. Separate the generation and retail sides of electricity companies to lower power bills and make public transport free.
ACT Party Opposes government interference in supermarkets; believes free-market competition is the best driver for lower food prices. Cut government spending to reduce overall living costs and repeal the carbon tax to instantly lower electricity and fuel prices.
Te Pāti Māori Remove GST from all food and launch a $3.1 billion fund to build Māori-owned supermarket alternatives. Create a tax-free bracket for the first $30,000 of income to leave more money in families' pockets for utility bills.
NZ First Remove GST from basic foods to directly lower register costs. Lower bills indirectly by cutting government waste and consultant spending.

Core Differences Explained Simply

1. Fixing Food Prices

The parties are split into three main philosophies on groceries:
- The Government-Led Approach: The Green Party and Te Pāti Māori believe the current supermarket system is broken. They want the government to either fund alternatives or actively own a supermarket chain to force prices down.

  • The Rule-Changing Approach: Labour and National want to change the rules for existing supermarkets. Labour wants to make price gouging a crime, while National wants to break up the biggest supermarket companies so they have to compete harder against each other.

  • The Tax-Cut & Free-Market Approach: ACT and NZ First prefer tax-based relief. NZ First and Te Pāti Māori want to eliminate GST on food, while ACT believes less government regulation will naturally bring grocery prices down.

2. Managing Utility and Transit Bills

When it comes to power, fuel, and transport:
- Targeted Subsidies: Labour emphasizes direct help, like capping bus/train fares and assisting households with solar installations.

  • Structural Overhauls: The Green Party wants deeper changes to the electricity market to stop power companies from maximizing profits at the expense of consumers.

  • System Spending Reductions: National and ACT argue that giving out government subsidies causes inflation, which drives bills higher in the long run. They want to cut the size of government programs so you keep more money in your paycheck to pay your own bills.

Next Steps for Voting

If you are planning to vote, ensure you are registered. The final cutoff to enroll for the 2026 election is **Sunday, October 25, 2026 at midnight **. You can check your eligibility or update your details securely via the official Vote NZ platform.

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