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Evidence · NZ Election 2026 · Edition 2

Every question, every answer, every source

All 174 questions and the 793 answers produced on 12 October 2026. The 27 remaining cells produced no AI Overview.

questions
174
answers saved
793
collected
12 Oct 2026

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 unchanged question.

    id, draft, text, voterCode, issue, towns

    174rows

    Download questions (CSV)

  • Answers

    nz-election-2026-answers.csv

    One row per produced answer, with its complete original text.

    result id, prompt id, draft id, scenario id, platform, region, words, parties, literal url answer, associated source answer, temporal pair, common four platforms, response text

    793rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • Sources by answer

    nz-election-2026-sources.csv

    One row per website associated with an answer; repeated citations count once.

    answer id, question id, assistant, region, domain, publisher

    4,137rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • Checks against official sources

    nz-election-2026-checks.csv

    One row per reviewed proposition, retaining both answers, extracts and the reviewed change.

    check, draft id, platform, claim, verdict, assessment, source url, source label, source date, checked date, old result id, new result id, old excerpt, new excerpt

    15rows

    Download checks against official sources (CSV)

  • Who to vote for: coding

    nz-election-2026-guidance.csv

    One row per manually reviewed guidance answer. Codes overlap; original answers supply the evidence.

    draft, assistant, q, voter, a, declined, matched, shortlist, asked, chose, extract

    31rows

    Download who to vote for: coding (CSV)

  • Location and national answers

    nz-election-2026-towns.csv

    One row per matched national/location pair, with both editions.

    prompt id, draft id, scenario id, issue, platform, city, edition 1 same party set, edition 1 national result, edition 1 city result, edition 2 same party set, edition 2 national result, edition 2 city result

    124rows

    Download location and national answers (CSV)

  • Changes between editions

    nz-election-2026-comparisons.csv

    One row per identical question, assistant and location across the two collections.

    prompt id, draft id, scenario id, scenario, issue, platform, region, old result id, new result id, old words, new words, same party set, old parties, new parties, added parties, removed parties, literal same domains, literal old domains, literal new domains, literal added domains, literal removed domains, associated same domains, associated old domains, associated new domains, associated added domains, associated removed domains

    793rows

    Download changes between editions (CSV)

  • No AI Overview produced

    nz-election-2026-coverage.csv

    One row per planned cell where no AI Overview was produced.

    prompt id, platform, region, draft id, block, scenario id, scenario, issue, priority, question, cause, availability

    27rows

    Download no ai overview produced (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 a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about secure rentals and help with housing costs for families on low incomes?

New Zealand 2026 election: renters, housing costs and support for families

For a sole parent working part time and raising a preschooler, housing policy is about more than the weekly rent. It is also about whether you can stay in your home, whether your rent can rise sharply, and whether taking on extra work leaves your family better off after housing and childcare costs.

The key distinction in the 2026 election is between parties that emphasise stronger protections for tenants and more publicly provided housing, and parties that emphasise increasing housing supply, encouraging private landlords to provide rentals, and targeting financial assistance to lower-income households.

As of 11 October 2026, there are also some important changes to government housing assistance already announced for 2027. I'll distinguish those existing government plans from parties' wider election proposals. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026Delivering fairer social housingGreens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis

1. What the main parties are proposing

These are the main differences to investigate for your circumstances, using published policies and announcements available so far. A proposal is not necessarily enacted law, and some parties have published more detail than others.

Green Party

Rent limits, tenant protections and public housing

The Greens' March 2026 A Home for Everybody campaign proposes:

  • Capping annual rent increases at 2%.
  • Building tens of thousands of public homes.
  • Establishing a national register for landlords, property managers and boarding houses.
  • Reversing the tax change that restored interest deductibility for residential landlords.

These measures target rental stability and the availability of homes outside the private market. The rent cap would limit increases rather than guarantee that the starting rent is affordable. Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisisGreens pledge 'to stop housing being treated as a state-sanctioned casino'

Sources: Green Party housing plan · Policy coverage

Labour Party

More state housing and opposition to higher social rents

Labour's published housing and budget positions emphasise:

  • Investing in Kāinga Ora to build more state houses. Its published Start Work Now plan allocates $2.9 billion in capital funding for more state houses.
  • Maintaining income-related rent support for eligible social housing tenants.
  • Opposing the 2026 government's planned increase in minimum social housing rent contributions, arguing it would increase hardship for low-income households.

Labour has also supported secure-tenancy protections, including ending no-cause terminations when it was in government. Check its current election policy for any new, detailed rental commitments rather than assuming every earlier policy will be reinstated. Start Work NowRelease: Nothing fair about cruel social housing cutsMaking housing more affordable for all New Zealanders

Sources: Labour's housing investment plan · Labour's response to Budget 2026

National Party

Private rental supply and targeted financial assistance

National's approach focuses on making it easier to build homes, encouraging private rental investment and directing housing assistance towards people assessed as having the greatest need.

Its 2026 government programme includes:

  • Increasing maximum Accommodation Supplement rates for eligible private renters from 1 April 2027.
  • Raising the minimum rent contribution for social housing tenants from 25% to 30% of assessable income from that date.
  • Reviewing social housing eligibility and exploring defined tenancy durations, with exemptions where need continues.
  • Supporting additional social and affordable homes through its Flexible Fund and other building programmes.

The government says these changes will make assistance fairer between private and social housing tenants. The trade-off is that many existing social housing tenants will pay more, even as eligible private renters may receive more assistance. Delivering fairer social housingSocial Housing and Welfare - Budget 2026Flexi Fund opens for social & affordable housing

Sources: Government's social housing reform · Flexible Fund

ACT New Zealand

Private-market incentives and a stronger work focus

ACT has backed the government's 2026 housing-support changes, including:

  • Increasing Accommodation Supplement maximums for eligible private renters.
  • Raising the minimum contribution paid by social housing tenants.
  • Encouraging housing supply and arguing that rental-market rules should not discourage landlords from providing homes.

ACT describes the changes as improving fairness between private renters and state tenants and strengthening incentives for independence. This approach places less emphasis on rent caps and more emphasis on targeted subsidies and the private housing market. ACT New ZealandACT New Zealand

Sources: ACT's response to housing reforms

What about New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori? Their full, current 2026 proposals on rent limits, tenant security and weekly housing assistance need to be checked individually before drawing a reliable comparison. NZ First's earlier housing policy emphasised home ownership, unlocking land and planning reform, but that is not a substitute for a verified 2026 rental-policy commitment. 2023 Election PoliciesPolicies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

For an up-to-date, wider comparison, the independent election guide Policy.nz — Housing lets you explore renting, housing affordability, and social and public housing.

2. What could the policies mean for your weekly budget?

The biggest immediate distinction is whether you're renting privately or living in social housing.

Issue Private rental Social housing
Rent increases The Greens propose a 2% annual cap. Your rent is generally income-related under current rules.
Help with housing costs The Accommodation Supplement may help, depending on your circumstances. Income-related rent subsidises eligible tenants.
Announced change from April 2027 Maximum Accommodation Supplement rates rise by $10–$30 a week, depending on circumstances. Minimum rent contributions rise from 25% to 30% of assessable income.
Longer-term security Rent limits and tenancy protections are key policy differences. The government is exploring tenancy durations and more frequent eligibility reviews.

The 2027 changes are government announcements, not just election promises. The $10–$30 figures are increases to maximum payment rates, not a guarantee that every eligible renter will receive that much extra. The actual payment depends on individual circumstances. Changes to housing supportDelivering fairer social housing

Official details: Work and Income — Changes to housing support.

3. How to assess the policies as a working sole parent

Given that you are balancing part-time work, childcare and rent, I would compare parties against these five practical questions. These are comparison criteria, not a recommendation for whom to vote for.

  1. Can you stay in your home?

Look at eviction grounds, notice periods, fixed-term tenancy rules and whether rent increases would be capped. A rent cap and protection against unjustified termination address different kinds of insecurity.

  1. How much help would you receive each week?

Check proposals affecting the Accommodation Supplement, Temporary Additional Support, benefits and family payments. A higher maximum subsidy does not necessarily mean a higher payment for every household.

  1. Would extra work leave you better off?

Compare childcare assistance, childcare costs, benefit abatement and housing subsidies together. A policy that increases gross income may have a smaller effect on your disposable income after these costs.

  1. Could you access a more affordable home?

Compare commitments to new state houses, community housing, affordable rentals and the eligibility rules for getting into them. More homes being planned does not necessarily mean a suitable home will be available soon.

  1. When would the policy actually help?

Distinguish changes already in force, funded commitments with implementation dates, and campaign proposals that still need legislation or funding.

4. A useful next step before voting

The official Work and Income Accommodation Supplement information is a useful starting point for understanding the assistance available under current rules. Eligibility and payment amounts depend on income, assets, accommodation costs and other circumstances.

For election comparisons, I would give particular attention to the difference between making rent more predictable and making rent more affordable. A policy can do one without necessarily doing the other.

One question that would help me make the party comparison more relevant to you: Are you currently renting privately, or are you in Kāinga Ora or community social housing? The implications of the parties' proposals differ considerably between the two.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 12 October 2026 · shown as ChatGPT gave it, not a verified account

Gemini · No location

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about secure rentals and help with housing costs for families on low incomes?

As a sole parent working part-time while renting with a preschooler, navigating housing costs, tenancy security, and childcare thresholds is a balancing act. In the lead-up to the 2026 New Zealand general election, political parties offer sharply contrasting approaches to secure rentals, financial assistance, and how low-income families are supported.

Here is an overview of what the major political parties are proposing regarding secure rentals and housing cost assistance:

1. Tenancy Laws & Secure Rentals (Renters' Rights)

The stability of your tenancy and how rent increases are handled depend heavily on which party's framework is in power:

  • Green Party & Te Pāti Māori: Strongly advocate for robust tenant protections. They are campaigning on legislation to introduce a hard cap on annual rent increases (around 2%), permanently remove "no-cause" evictions, and establish a mandatory rental warrant of fitness to ensure homes meet strict quality standards.
  • Labour Party: Supports stronger tenant protections and previously removed no-cause evictions while in government. While they favor enhanced security and backing renters, they have stopped short of committing to a rigid nationwide rent price cap.
  • National Party & ACT: Strongly oppose rent controls and price caps, arguing they restrict rental supply, discourage private landlords from investing, and ultimately push rents up. The National-led government restored "no-cause" evictions, prioritizing property-market incentives (such as restoring interest deductibility for landlords) to encourage private rental availability.
  • New Zealand First: Generally leans toward supply-side solutions and private market incentives rather than heavy tenancy regulation or rent controls, with a primary policy focus on transitioning renters into first-home ownership.

2. Help with Housing Costs & Income Support

Direct financial assistance for low-income renters—such as the Accommodation Supplement (AS) and social housing—has seen active policy shifts (notably under Budget 2026 settings which parties are debating):

  • Targeted Benefit Adjustments & Accommodation Support: Current settings have focused on adjusting maximum weekly payments for the Accommodation Supplement for private renters, though paired with tighter controls on secondary safety nets like Temporary Additional Support (TAS).
  • Social & Public Housing:
    • Labour and the Greens are committing heavily to state-backed building programs. Labour has pushed major public housing infrastructure pipelines (targeting thousands of new social homes), while the Greens propose an even larger expansion of public housing to reduce reliance on the private market.
    • National has dialed back large-scale state-agency builds in favor of partnering with Community Housing Providers (CHPs) and streamlining planning and consenting laws to free up land for private development.
  • Interplay with Part-Time Work: Parties supporting higher baseline welfare packages and targeted abatement rate reforms (allowing you to earn more part-time income before your assistance drops off sharply) aim to protect sole parents balancing childcare hours. Center-right parties emphasize supply-side planning and employment-focused case management to transition sole parents into full financial independence.

Summary Checklist for Your Vote

  • If you prioritize immediate stability, rent caps, and protection against sudden tenancy terminations, the Greens, Labour, and Te Pāti Māori align closest with those goals.
  • If you prioritize increasing overall housing supply through private market incentives, planning reforms, and private ownership pathways, National, ACT, and NZ First emphasize those mechanisms.

How do you weigh the importance of rent controls versus private supply incentives when thinking about your housing stability?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 12 October 2026 · shown as Gemini gave it, not a verified account

Google AI Mode · No location

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about secure rentals and help with housing costs for families on low incomes?

Navigating part-time work, renting, and raising a preschooler as a sole parent means that housing security, stability, and living costs are critical considerations. Different political parties offer contrasting approaches to supporting low-income renters and addressing housing stability.

An overview of what major and minor parties propose regarding secure rentals and help with housing costs highlights these varying approaches:

  • Labour Party: Focuses heavily on tenant security and strengthening renters' rights. Labour has pledged to reverse recent changes that allow landlords to use 90-day "no-cause" terminations, arguing that tenants need reliable long-term security without fear of arbitrary eviction. They generally emphasize expanding state and public housing supply to reduce reliance on the private rental market for low-income families.

  • Green Party: Proposes comprehensive renter protections alongside major supply initiatives. Their housing packages feature policies to build more affordable non-profit and public rental homes (aiming to clear the social housing waitlist), implementing clearer rental standards, and supporting community housing providers. Some proposals associated with the broader progressive/left spectrum also include exploring rent controls or limiting annual rent increases to protect low-income households from sudden cost spikes.

  • National and ACT (The Coalition/Centre-Right Parties): Focus primarily on increasing overall housing supply through infrastructure funding, easing regulations on developers, and encouraging private landlords back into the market (such as via interest-deductibility settings) to increase rental availability and stabilize market rents. Rather than added market interventions like rent controls or strict tenancy restrictions, their philosophy relies on supply-and-demand dynamics to moderate prices and support homeownership pathways (like KiwiSaver adjustments).

  • The Opportunities Party (TOP) & Other Minor Parties: Propose systemic tax and income reforms—such as land value taxes designed to reduce land banking and lower general house/land prices, or universal basic/citizen's income frameworks intended to directly boost baseline incomes for low-income families rather than targeted accommodation subsidies alone.

Note on Direct Help with Costs: Direct financial assistance for private renters on low incomes is primarily channeled through the ongoing Accommodation Supplement via Work and Income, where adjustments depend on broader welfare and tax policy adjustments rather than distinct standalone housing benefit overhauls by most major parties.

Would you like to explore:

  • Specific ** partai-by-party comparisons** on childcare and Working for Families abatements that affect part-time hours?
  • How current Accommodation Supplement thresholds apply to sole parents?
Ask anything

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AI Overviews · No location

I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about secure rentals and help with housing costs for families on low incomes?

AI Overview

Navigating work commitments as a solo parent with a preschooler is a delicate balancing act, especially when considering how housing support adjustments impact your net income. For the 7 November 2026 New Zealand general election , the major political parties have put forward distinctly different platforms regarding private renting protections and housing financial support.

The main party proposals targeting secure rentals and low-income housing costs break down as follows:

Rental Security & Tenant Rights

  • The Green Party has proposed a comprehensive Renters’ Rights Bill. Their platform includes banning no-cause evictions to increase stability, introducing a legally binding Rental Warrant of Fitness (WoF) for property quality, and creating an official registry for landlords.

  • The Labour Party has pledged to remove the ability for landlords to issue 90-day no-cause eviction notices , intending to restore the protections private tenants had prior to recent legislative updates.

  • The National Party and ACT New Zealand prefer to maintain the existing framework, which allows landlords to issue 90-day no-cause eviction notices. They argue this flexibility provides a necessary tool for managing rental properties and encourages private market supply.

Financial Support & Rental Costs

  • The Green Party intends to implement a strict 2% annual cap on rent increases to protect low-income families from sudden cost spikes. They also propose building tens of thousands of new public and community homes to reduce reliance on the private market.

  • The Labour Party opposes raising public housing tenant contributions. However, leader Chris Hipkins has stated that Labour will not proceed with expansions to the Accommodation Supplement , calling it an indirect "subsidy for private-sector landlords" that ultimately fuels higher market rents. Instead, they focus on long-term affordability via a 28% capital gains tax on investment properties to curb housing speculation.

  • ACT New Zealand and National supported changes in Budget 2026 to shift the state housing rent contribution model, redirecting approximately $387.5 million in savings into higher Accommodation Supplement rates. Their approach prioritizes boosting direct financial cash support for low-income families renting in the private sector rather than expanding state-driven market interventions.

If you want to look closer at how these changes might impact your household budget, please let me know:

  • Do you currently live in a private rental or public/Kāinga Ora housing?

  • Would you like to check the current Work and Income (MSD) part-time earning thresholds to see how taking on more hours might affect your current benefit or childcare subsidies?

Ask anything

Captured 12 October 2026 · shown as AI Overviews gave it, not a verified account