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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've recently been made redundant after years in the same industry. I have rent to pay, and I'm unsure whether to retrain or keep looking for similar work. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose for people who cannot cover rent after losing their job?

I’m sorry to hear you’re dealing with that uncertainty. For a voter trying to compare options in the 2026 New Zealand general election, the key question is not only “who helps with rent?” but also what kind of support each party proposes after a job loss: income support, housing assistance, training, and getting back into work. I’ll summarise the publicly available policy positions rather than suggest how you should vote. Policy.nz

A few current supports matter regardless of which party forms government:

  • If someone loses work and qualifies, Jobseeker Support may provide income support.
  • Accommodation Supplement can help eligible people with rent costs.
  • Temporary Additional Support is a last-resort payment for people whose essential costs exceed their income. Work and Income
  • Government housing support settings have been a policy area of change; Budget 2026 included changes to Accommodation Supplement, social housing settings, and Temporary Additional Support. Work and Income

How parties’ approaches differ (broad themes)

Party Approach relevant to someone who has lost a job and cannot cover rent
National Party of New Zealand Emphasises employment, economic growth, and moving people into work. Current government policy changes include adjustments to housing assistance and employment support programmes. Work and Income
New Zealand Labour Party Has generally focused on income support, worker protections, cost-of-living measures, and government involvement in housing. Specific 2026 election commitments should be checked as they are released. Policy.nz
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand Has generally advocated stronger income support, renter protections, and expanded public/social housing. Policy.nz
New Zealand First Has emphasised targeted support, work incentives, and policies focused on citizens and public services. Specific election commitments should be checked as they are released. Policy.nz
ACT New Zealand Generally emphasises lower taxes, reduced regulation, and policies aimed at economic growth and individual responsibility; welfare settings are typically framed around work incentives. Policy.nz
Te Pāti Māori Has generally focused on reducing inequities, strengthening community support, and increasing housing security. Policy.nz

For your situation, the most relevant policy questions to compare are:

  1. If I lose my job, how quickly can I access income support?

    • Look at Jobseeker Support settings, benefit adequacy, and eligibility rules.

  2. Will rent pressure be addressed directly?

    • Compare positions on:
      • Accommodation Supplement
      • rent increases and renter protections
      • social/public housing supply

  3. Is retraining supported?

    • Compare:
      • funded education or vocational training
      • apprenticeships
      • support for people changing industries
      • employment services

  4. What happens to people in the gap between jobs?

    • Some parties put more emphasis on benefit support; others put more emphasis on rapid return to employment and incentives to work. Policy.nz

For a neutral side-by-side comparison, Policy.nz 2026 election policy comparison lets you filter by “Benefits,” “Jobs and employment,” “Housing,” and “Renting.” Policy.nz

Given your circumstances, it may also help to compare parties specifically on “someone aged X, with rent due, recently made redundant, considering retraining” rather than looking only at headline housing policies. I can help build that comparison if you tell me your approximate age range, whether you have dependants, and whether you are looking for similar work or a career change.

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've recently been made redundant after years in the same industry. I have rent to pay, and I'm unsure whether to retrain or keep looking for similar work. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose for people who cannot cover rent after losing their job?

Facing redundancy after a long tenure is a stressful situation, especially when immediate financial pressures like rent are looming. In the context of the New Zealand political landscape, different parties approach the dilemma of supporting those who have lost their jobs—and managing housing costs—through distinct economic and social lenses.

The primary policy approaches from the major political parties outline how they plan to support individuals facing job loss and housing distress:

1. Income Support and Jobseeker Assistance

  • National and ACT: Emphasize a "Welfare that Works" approach, prioritizing rapid re-employment and tightening obligations. They support mutual-obligation frameworks, strict work-search requirements, and stricter sanctions for those who turn down suitable work. Their focus is on economic incentives to get people back into the workforce quickly, rather than broad increases to baseline benefit levels.
  • Labour, Greens, and Te Pāti Māori: Focus on strengthening income support safety nets. Labour and the Greens have historically criticised deep benefit cuts or harsh sanctions, arguing that main benefits need to keep pace with the real cost of living. They advocate for higher baseline support so that unexpected redundancy does not instantly push individuals into severe housing instability.

2. Housing and Rent Relief

  • Accommodation Supplement Adjustments: Current settings include tiered Accommodation Supplement (AS) assistance through Work and Income to help bridge housing costs based on geographic area and income. Budget settings have also legislated incremental maximum AS rate increases.
  • Rent Controls and Tenancy Laws (Left vs. Right):
    • Parties like the Greens and Te Pāti Māori strongly advocate for direct market interventions, such as a formal cap on annual rent increases (e.g., around 2%) and rolling back "no-cause" evictions to give displaced workers greater security.
    • National and ACT strongly oppose rent controls, arguing they restrict rental housing supply and discourage private investment, preferring supply-side solutions and planning reforms.
  • Social Housing Supply: The Greens and Labour campaign on significant state and social housing build programs (with Labour proposing thousands of new social homes under broader infrastructure and jobs packages) to provide long-term fallback options for low-income or displaced renters. Conversely, parties on the right favour utilizing community housing providers or private market incentives over large-scale state builds.

3. Retraining vs. Re-entering the Workforce

  • Targeted Training Support: Centre-left parties typically back government-subsidized retraining schemes, targeted industry transitions, and free or low-cost vocational courses through polytechnics/Te Pūkenga to help displaced workers pivot into growing sectors.
  • Active Labour Market Policies: Centre-right parties lean heavily toward direct job-brokering, work-first mandates, and utilizing private employment agencies to match people with immediate vacancies rather than extended periods of study.

Immediate Practical Steps Available Now

Regardless of political proposals, if you are struggling with rent right now, there are established systems you can access immediately through Work and Income (MSD):

  1. Jobseeker Support: A weekly benefit available if you have lost your job and are actively looking for work or undertaking approved training.
  2. Accommodation Supplement: A weekly, non-taxable payment to help assist with rent, board, or other lodging costs, depending on your cash assets (which for a single person must generally be under $8,100, excluding certain redundancy lump sums temporarily treated under specific guidelines).
  3. Temporary Additional Support (TAS): A short-term financial payment if your essential costs (like rent) exceed your income and you have explored all other options.

Given that you are weighing whether to retrain or seek immediate employment, what is your primary industry background, and how long do your current savings allow you to manage before rent becomes critical?

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've recently been made redundant after years in the same industry. I have rent to pay, and I'm unsure whether to retrain or keep looking for similar work. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose for people who cannot cover rent after losing their job?

New Zealand's political parties offer distinct approaches through existing income support and benefit systems, paired with contrasting welfare, retraining, and housing policies. When you face redundancy and immediate rent pressures, support typically runs through Work and Income (MSD) via standard main benefits (like the Jobseeker Support) and supplementary assistance (like the Accommodation Supplement), but the parties propose different adjustments to these safety nets, active work requirements, and retraining support.

Current Support Framework & Party Approaches

  • National Party: Emphasizes work-test readiness and active enforcement. Their welfare approach for jobseekers includes stricter obligations, such as proposed random drug testing for jobseekers to ensure readiness for work, alongside broad economic and business settings intended to stimulate job creation rather than expanding baseline benefit levels. [RNZ]

  • Labour Party: Focuses on strengthening public safety nets and reducing barriers to skill development. They emphasize support for retraining and education, including policies targeting student debt reduction and industry-specific transition support, alongside maintaining income support levels for those displaced from work. [RNZ]

  • ACT New Zealand: Advocates for tighter welfare targeting, welfare reform, and re-focusing government spending. Their approach generally favours reducing fiscal burdens, reforming tax and benefit interactions to incentivize swift re-entry into the workforce, and scaling back baseline entitlement expansions.

  • Green Party / Te Pāti Māori: Propose raising baseline main benefit levels significantly to ensure that income covers core living costs including rent, alongside removing punitive benefit sanctions and expanding accessible, barrier-free public retraining and education initiatives.

Immediate Practical Options

If you are struggling to pay rent right now, you do not have to wait for election outcomes:

  • Check Work and Income: Explore eligibility for Jobseeker Support if you are actively looking for work or undertaking approved retraining, and the Accommodation Supplement to assist with rent payments.

  • Temporary Additional Support: If your weekly essential costs (like rent) exceed your income and standard assistance is insufficient, you may qualify for short-term financial help.

  • Talk to your Landlord: Communicate your redundancy early; many landlords or property managers prefer negotiating a temporary payment plan over finding a new tenant.

Ask anything

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

AI Overviews · No location

I've recently been made redundant after years in the same industry. I have rent to pay, and I'm unsure whether to retrain or keep looking for similar work. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose for people who cannot cover rent after losing their job?

AI Overview

Political parties in the 2026 New Zealand general election propose vastly different approaches to renter stability, job creation, and employment welfare. Following redundancy, your financial security under each platform depends heavily on whether they prioritize market-driven housing corrections, direct intervention in the job market, or enhanced safety nets for tenants.

Because the "Income Insurance Scheme" (previously proposed to cover 80% of income after redundancy) is off the table across the major political spectrum, parties are framing their responses through housing security and economic restructuring.

The core policies proposed by the six main parties regarding job loss, rent affordability, and training include:

Left-of-Center Parties (Focus on Tenant Rights & Direct Employment)

  • Labour Party: Labour opposes recent changes that increased the financial burden on state housing tenants, pledging to reverse state housing rent hikes and freeze further increases. To protect private market renters from losing their homes after sudden job losses, Labour has pledged to ban "no-cause" eviction notices , forcing landlords to provide a valid legal reason to end a tenancy. In terms of retraining, they plan to expand the Apprenticeship Boost program to help redundant workers shift into trade and technical careers.

  • Green Party: The Greens propose the most aggressive intervention for renters through a Renters’ Rights Bill , which would cap annual rent increases at 2%. This cap aims to prevent landlords from raising rents when a tenant loses an income source. For employment, they have launched a $4.7 billion to $4.9 billion "Jobs for Young People" guarantee program, focusing primarily on 16-to-24-year-olds facing prolonged unemployment, alongside massive state investment in public housing construction to stimulate broad employment.

  • Te Pāti Māori: Their platform concentrates heavily on the cost of living and systemic relief, proposing a wealth tax on assets over $2 million to fund broader public services, a 5% stamp duty on residential sales to suppress property speculation, and a commitment to protecting lower-income families from homelessness.

Right-of-Center Parties (Focus on Market Supply & Employer Flexibility)

  • National Party: National’s approach relies on increasing housing supply to organically drive down rent prices , rather than implementing state-mandated rent caps. They strongly support the policy allowing landlords to use 90-day "no-cause" eviction notices, arguing that removing restrictions makes landlords more willing to take on tenants. For employment, National focuses on general economic growth to stimulate jobs rather than direct state-funded hiring programs, while protecting basic safety nets like the Accommodation Supplement.

  • ACT Party: ACT heavily champions property rights and firmly opposes any form of rent control or tenant protections that restrict landlords, arguing they severely reduce rental market supply. ACT’s employment strategy relies on deregulation to make hiring easier for businesses. Through their role in the current coalition government, they introduced the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 , which restricts access to personal grievance remedies and weakens procedural redundancy rules for employers. They also propose a freeze on the minimum wage for three years to curb business costs.

  • New Zealand First: NZ First focuses primarily on economic nationalism and protecting local jobs. They differ from their ACT coalition partners by pledging to continue raising the minimum wage to assist with the cost of living. They support market-driven housing but favor strict immigration and visa caps to reduce structural pressure on national rent prices and local job competition.

If you would like to look closer at your options, I can outline what immediate financial support you can access right now from Work and Income (MSD) for rent assistance while you look for work, or provide data on which industries currently have the highest job demand in New Zealand. Which would be more helpful for your situation?

Ask anything

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