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If your main income is NZ Super and you rent privately, the policies most directly relevant to you are those affecting rent increases, rental security, Accommodation Supplement, healthcare, power, groceries and transport. I’d separate those from policies aimed mainly at homeowners or working-age people.

The 2026 election is on 7 November 2026, with advance voting from 26 October. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz

The main differences for someone in your situation

Issue	Labour	Greens	National	NZ First	ACT
Direct protection against rent rises	Stronger renter protections, but no hard rent cap	Cap annual increases at 2%	Emphasis on increasing housing supply rather than rent controls	Emphasis on supply/economic measures; no 2% cap	Opposes rent controls
Help with private rent	Not a major new election promise	Broader income/social-support approach	Accommodation Supplement already increased by $10–$30/week for eligible private renters	Has previously proposed increasing Accommodation Supplement for SuperGold holders	Supports the current Accommodation Supplement increase
Security of tenancy	Supports stronger renter protections	Scrap no-cause evictions	More emphasis on landlord/property-market settings	No comparable 2026 rent-security proposal found	More landlord/property-rights oriented
Healthcare costs	3 free GP visits + free prescriptions	Broad expansion of public services	Different approach; no equivalent Labour proposal	Seniors-focused health proposals	Different approach
Public transport	$20/week cap on bus/train travel	Strong emphasis on affordable public transport	Auckland public-transport safety measures rather than a broad fare cap	SuperGold concessions	Market/property-focused approach
Groceries/essentials	Ban price-gouging + supermarket competition	Tax/corporate reforms and cheaper essentials	More supermarket competition	Strong emphasis on reducing supermarket/bank costs	Competition and lower-regulation approach

Sources: party policies and election material. Labour's 2026 Election Policies

1. If your biggest worry is being priced out of your rental

This is probably the most important distinction.

The Green Party has the clearest specific proposal: a 2% annual cap on rent increases, together with scrapping no-cause evictions, a rental Warrant of Fitness and substantially more public housing. Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

That is a much more direct response to your particular concern than simply hoping increased housing supply eventually restrains rents.

Labour supports stronger renter protections and more housing, but its 2026 policy package does not include the Greens' 2% hard cap. Labour instead emphasises building homes, its wider cost-of-living programme and a targeted capital-gains tax on investment-property profits. Labour's 2026 Election Policies

National and ACT take a substantially different approach. The Government has increased the maximum Accommodation Supplement for private renters by $10–$30 a week, funded partly by raising rents for some social-housing tenants. National argues that increasing supply and competition is the better long-term route rather than controlling rents. Delivering fairer social housing | National Party ACT explicitly supports that change and opposes rent controls. ACT New Zealand

So there is a genuine policy choice here: directly limiting rent increases versus increasing financial assistance and relying more heavily on housing supply and market competition.

2. The Accommodation Supplement could matter a lot

This is particularly worth checking because you are a private renter on NZ Super.

Budget 2026 increased the maximum Accommodation Supplement for eligible private renters by $10–$30 per week, while increasing the minimum rent contribution for social-housing tenants from 25% to 30% of income. Social Housing and Welfare - Budget 2026 - 28 May 2026

National says the additional Accommodation Supplement was intended to help low-income private renters, while ACT specifically supports the change. Delivering fairer social housing | National Party

Importantly, don't assume that receiving NZ Super automatically means you qualify or that you are receiving the maximum. Eligibility depends on circumstances including income, assets and accommodation costs.

NZ First has historically specifically advocated increasing the Accommodation Supplement for SuperGold holders and developing a seniors' housing plan because more retirees are expected to be renting. 2023 Election Policies - NZ First Its current 2026 policy material also says it does not support raising the NZ Super eligibility age or introducing means-testing. Winston Peters - “Seniors Sole Defender” - New Zealand First

3. Everyday bills beyond rent

For a retiree on a fixed income, healthcare can effectively be another major household expense.

Labour's 2026 package is unusually direct here: three free GP visits per year for everyone and removal of the $5 prescription charge from July 2027. Labour's 2026 Election Policies

Labour also proposes a $20-a-week public-transport fare cap, which could matter considerably if you regularly use buses or trains. Labour's 2026 Election Policies

For groceries, Labour proposes banning price-gouging on essential goods and increasing competition in the supermarket sector. Labour's 2026 Election Policies

The Greens take a broader approach, proposing tax changes aimed at high-wealth individuals and large corporations while cutting income tax for 96% of people; their stated objective is to fund public services and reduce living costs. Greens commit to tax the super-rich and large corporates fairly, cut income tax for 96%

4. One thing I would not overlook: NZ Super itself

There is an important difference between the parties on the future of Super.

NZ First explicitly says it will not raise the eligibility age to 67 or introduce means-testing, and its current campaign has emphasised protecting NZ Super. Winston Peters - “Seniors Sole Defender” - New Zealand First

It has, however, announced that from 2029 only New Zealand citizens would be eligible for NZ Super, subject to a three-year transition period. That is particularly relevant only to people whose citizenship/residency status might be affected. Winston Peters: "Citizenship and Superannuation"

The broader 2026 debate has included proposals from economists such as the OECD around changing the long-term design of NZ Super, but those should not be confused with policies actually being proposed by every party. The superannuation debate is back – but reform looks like a non-starter

What I would compare in your position

Rather than asking "Which party is best?", which is ultimately your decision, I'd look at these five questions:

1. If my rent goes up sharply, do I want a legal limit on increases, or greater government assistance towards the rent?
2. How important is protection against having to leave my home because the landlord ends the tenancy?
3. How much would free GP visits and prescriptions save me each year?
4. Would cheaper public transport materially reduce my weekly spending?
5. How strongly do I want a party to commit to preserving NZ Super's current age and basic entitlement?

On the evidence currently published, the clearest direct rent-protection proposal is the Greens' 2% cap; the clearest direct private-renter financial intervention currently in force is the Government's higher Accommodation Supplement; and Labour has the clearest package of healthcare and public-transport savings. Those are descriptions of where the policies differ, rather than a recommendation about how you should vote. Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

One practical step before deciding: check whether you're entitled to the Accommodation Supplement and how much you would receive under the new rates. For someone living mainly on NZ Super, that could be more immediately consequential than a broad election promise.

Compare the 2026 parties and policies on Policy.nz

If you tell me roughly what you pay in weekly rent and whether you live alone, I can also lay out a neutral “weekly budget impact” comparison of the major parties' relevant 2026 policies for a person in your circumstances.