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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 retired, own my home and rely mainly on NZ Super. Rates, insurance and power bills are rising in importance for my budget, and I need regular healthcare. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties' current positions on NZ Super eligibility, payments and the retirement age?

For a voter in your situation, the key NZ Super questions are usually:

  1. Will I still qualify at 65?
  2. Will the payment level keep pace with living costs?
  3. Will there be income or asset testing?
  4. Will changes affect current retirees or mainly younger workers?

The current legal position is that NZ Super is a universal payment from age 65 (subject to residency and other eligibility rules). New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 | New Zealand Legislation The main party differences for the 2026 election are about whether to keep that structure or change it over time. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters

Party positions on NZ Super (2026 election)

Party Eligibility age Payment approach / testing Other retirement-related points
National Party of New Zealand Supports moving the age gradually from 65 to 67. The proposed timing reported for 2026 would mean the change mainly affects younger cohorts rather than current retirees. Supports keeping NZ Super universal rather than means-tested. Places more emphasis on private retirement savings, including compulsory KiwiSaver proposals. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
New Zealand Labour Party Says it will keep eligibility at 65 and not raise the age. Says it will retain universal NZ Super and not introduce means testing. Has focused on retirement certainty and cost-of-living pressures affecting older people. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand Supports keeping eligibility at 65. Supports universal NZ Super and argues payments should be sufficient for older people’s needs. Links retirement policy with healthcare, housing and power costs. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
New Zealand First Opposes changing NZ Super eligibility. Supports retaining current entitlement settings. Also supports compulsory KiwiSaver proposals, with a larger role for retirement savings. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
ACT New Zealand Supports raising eligibility to 67, with transition arrangements. Supports universal super but favours changes to improve long-term sustainability. Has argued for greater reliance on personal retirement savings. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
Te Pāti Māori Has previously supported earlier access to NZ Super for Māori, based on differences in life expectancy and health outcomes; its full 2026 policy position should be checked as it develops. Focuses on reducing inequities affecting Māori older people. Has opposed some KiwiSaver contribution changes as potentially affecting lower-income workers. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
The Opportunities Party Would replace the current model rather than simply adjust the age. Proposes a Citizen’s Income model with a top-up initially matching NZ Super rates, with longer-term changes linked to retirement savings. Supports a redesigned compulsory KiwiSaver system. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters

What this could mean for someone already retired

Because you are already retired and relying mainly on NZ Super:

  • A future rise in the eligibility age is generally aimed at people who are not yet retired, rather than people already receiving NZ Super. Where the parties stand on New Zealand Super - Local Matters
  • The more immediate issues for many current retirees are likely to be:
    • whether payment rates keep up with inflation and living costs,
    • healthcare access and costs,
    • council rates relief or support,
    • energy costs,
    • housing-related costs such as insurance and maintenance.

Parties differ less on whether current NZ Super should suddenly disappear or be heavily restricted; the bigger disagreement is over long-term affordability, the retirement age, and the balance between public pension support and private savings. How parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders - Grey Power

Given your circumstances (homeowner, NZ Super as a major income source, rising fixed costs, regular healthcare needs), useful questions to ask candidates are:

  • “Would you protect the real purchasing power of NZ Super after rates, insurance and energy costs rise?”
  • “Would any changes affect people already receiving NZ Super?”
  • “What specific help will older homeowners receive with rates, healthcare and essential bills?”
  • “How will your retirement policy affect people who cannot keep working beyond 65?”

These questions focus less on the headline retirement age debate and more on the day-to-day financial pressures that affect many retirees.

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

Gemini · No location

I'm retired, own my home and rely mainly on NZ Super. Rates, insurance and power bills are rising in importance for my budget, and I need regular healthcare. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties' current positions on NZ Super eligibility, payments and the retirement age?

As a homeowner relying primarily on NZ Super with fixed costs like rates, insurance, and power pressing on your budget, the long-term settings and stability of New Zealand Superannuation are critical factors for the upcoming 2026 election.

A summary of how the major political parties currently stand on NZ Super eligibility, the retirement age, and payment structures highlights key differences:

## National Party

  • Retirement Age: Proposes gradually lifting the age of eligibility from 65 to 67, but with a long lead-in time—beginning in 2044. This means anyone currently retired or nearing retirement will not be affected.
  • Eligibility & Payments: Supports retaining universal NZ Super and keeping the payment indexation linked to the net average wage (protecting its relative value at roughly two-thirds of the average wage).

## Labour Party

  • Retirement Age: Firmly committed to retaining the age of eligibility at 65, opposing any increases to 67.
  • Eligibility & Payments: Supports the current universal framework without means-testing and maintains the wage-indexing mechanism to prevent older New Zealanders from sliding into poverty. Their broader focus centres on relieving cost-of-living pressures through targeted health and energy support.

## New Zealand First

  • Retirement Age: Strongly committed to keeping the age of eligibility at 65 and maintaining payments at 66% of the net average wage.
  • Eligibility & Payments: Has introduced tighter residency and citizenship proposals for the future—such as moving to restrict new grants of NZ Super strictly to New Zealand citizens (from 2029) and supporting an increase in the residency requirement timeframe. They also place a heavy emphasis on aged-care reform and "ageing in place" support.

## Green Party

  • Retirement Age: Committed to keeping the eligibility age at 65.
  • Eligibility & Payments: Strongly opposes means-testing or raising the age, advocating for universal protections backed by robust public services and progressive taxation to assist with general living and healthcare costs.

## ACT New Zealand

  • Retirement Age: Historically advocates for structural fiscal reforms, including raising the retirement age over time to match increasing life expectancies and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability, though they have placed emphasis on broader economic tax relief and expenditure controls. (Note: ACT did not formally participate in the recent Grey Power 2026 election questionnaire rollout due to capacity).

## The Opportunities Party (TOP)

  • Retirement Age: Supports keeping the age of eligibility at 65.
  • Eligibility & Payments: Focuses on systemic fixes for fixed-income households, including policy ideas like interest-free rates deferrals for older homeowners to help manage rising local council rates.

Summary for Your Budget Considerations

For the immediate future and medium term, nearly all major parties (Labour, Greens, NZ First, and TOP) are campaigning on keeping the eligibility age at 65. National’s policy to lift the age to 67 is explicitly back-loaded to start decades from now (2044), meaning current settings remain protected across the board for existing and near-term retirees.

Ask Gemini

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

Google AI Mode · No location

I'm retired, own my home and rely mainly on NZ Super. Rates, insurance and power bills are rising in importance for my budget, and I need regular healthcare. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties' current positions on NZ Super eligibility, payments and the retirement age?

Navigating retirement budgets while relying heavily on NZ Super—especially with escalating fixed costs like rates, power, insurance, and health needs—is a core issue in the 2026 general election. Major political parties have distinct stances on the age of eligibility, residency rules, and adjustments to superannuation settings.

1. New Zealand First

  • Eligibility Age: Strongly opposes raising the retirement age to 67 or altering current age thresholds, keeping it at 65.

  • Payments & Residency: Announced a major policy for the 2026 election cycle to restrict NZ Super exclusively to New Zealand citizens starting in 2029. Under this proposal, permanent residents who are not citizens would no longer qualify for NZ Super, which Winston Peters frames as a fiscal safeguard for generational taxpayers.

2. Labour Party

  • Eligibility Age: Firmly rules out any changes to current superannuation settings, committing to keeping the eligibility age at 65.

  • Payments: Maintains the current indexed payment structure linked to average wages (maintaining the net 66% or 50% benchmark depending on single/couple rates) and opposes raising the age or introducing independent means-testing.

3. National Party

  • Eligibility Age & Language: Has noticeably softened its historic rhetoric around lifting the eligibility age from 65 to 67. While previously open to a phased increase, leadership (Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis) declined to explicitly back raising the age following recent Treasury fiscal updates, stating that any shift would require a cross-party political consensus that currently does not exist.

  • Focus: National’s broader retirement focus centers heavily on structural KiwiSaver adjustments rather than cutting Super settings—such as automatic baby enrollment ('Baby Boost') and proposals to make KiwiSaver contributions compulsory, including for workers aged 65 and older. [RNZ]

4. ACT Party & Green Party / Te Pāti Māori

  • ACT: Generally favors long-term adjustments to the retirement age or indexing to ease structural government spending, though practical implementation remains tied to coalition dynamics and broader tax-structure overhauls (like a two-rate income tax goal). [RNZ]

  • Greens & Te Pāti Māori: Oppose raising the age of eligibility, focusing instead on broader tax reforms (such as independent wealth/capital gains taxes or tax-free income thresholds) that they argue would indirectly assist low-income retirees struggling with living costs, alongside advocating for stronger Pharmac and health funding injections. [RNZ]

If you'd like, let me know:

  • Are you concerned more about maintaining the age at 65 or cost-of-living/healthcare support specifically?

  • Would you like information on how the parties' tax and health policies might affect your specific household expenses (like power and rates)?

Ask anything

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

AI Overviews · No location

I'm retired, own my home and rely mainly on NZ Super. Rates, insurance and power bills are rising in importance for my budget, and I need regular healthcare. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties' current positions on NZ Super eligibility, payments and the retirement age?

AI Overview

Heading into the 2026 New Zealand general election , the major political parties have diverse approaches to the future of New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super).

As someone who relies on NZ Super to navigate rising costs like rates, insurance, and power, the stability of this income is vital. A scannable breakdown outlines exactly where the parties stand on eligibility, payments, and the retirement age.

Summary of Party Positions

Political Party Position on Retirement Age (65) Universality & Means Testing Eligibility Changes
National Favours raising to 67 (requires cross-party consensus) Supports universal entitlement (no means testing) Shifts long-term focus toward compulsory KiwiSaver
Labour Committed to keeping it at 65 Open to discussions on means testing the wealthy Strongly opposes any cuts or age hikes
Green Party Committed to keeping it at 65 Supports universal pension; open to individualised rates Targets funding via corporate and wealth taxes
ACT Favours raising the eligibility age Long-term changes to ensure affordability Promotes private savings and less government KiwiSaver subsidy
New Zealand First Committed to keeping it at 65 Supports universal pension (no means testing) Restrict entirely to New Zealand citizens from 2029

Detailed Policies by Party

National Party

  • Retirement Age: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has consistently maintained that the current setting is long-term unsustainable. National proposes gradually lifting the age to 67. However, leadership has softened its wording, stating that a shift will require a cross-party political consensus which is currently lacking.

  • Payments & Eligibility: National firmly supports a universal, non-means-tested pension for current retirees.

  • Other Context: Their main 2026 retirement push focuses on structural shifts for future generations, including a compulsory KiwiSaver scheme and keeping employer contributions going for those working past 65.

Labour Party

  • Retirement Age: Labour has given an ironclad commitment to keep the age of eligibility at 65. They argue that raising the age unfair to manual workers and those with lower life expectancies.

  • Payments & Eligibility: While they firmly support maintaining the Winter Energy Payment and funding the NZ Super Fund, Labour has indicated it is open to long-term discussions about means-testing individuals with extremely high incomes or assets to ensure sustainability.

Green Party

  • Retirement Age: The Greens are fiercely opposed to raising the age and will maintain eligibility at 65.

  • Payments & Eligibility: They support a universal pension but have voiced interest in exploring individual payment rates rather than couple-based rates in the future.

  • Cost of Living/Health: To address your concerns about bills, the Greens are actively campaigning to tax the excess profits of power companies and large corporates to fund essential public services like healthcare.

ACT New Zealand

  • Retirement Age: ACT is the most vocal proponent of immediate fiscal restraint and supports raising the eligibility age past 65 to ensure the country's books balance.

  • Payments & Eligibility: They argue that NZ Super in its current form is fiscally unsustainable and want long-term changes to focus entitlements where they are needed most, while cutting back on government KiwiSaver subsidies.

New Zealand First

  • Retirement Age: Leader Winston Peters has drawn a hard line against National and ACT, refusing to support any increase to the retirement age.

  • Payments & Eligibility: NZ First insists on a universal pension with no means testing. However, they introduced a major policy shift for the 2026 election: restricting NZ Super exclusively to New Zealand citizens from 2029 onwards , calling the cost of pensions for non-citizen migrants a "ticking timebomb".

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