---
title: "Unpaid carer juggling work and care"
publisher: "Onsomble Limited"
publication: "NZBrands.ai"
edition: 2
collected_on: "2026-10-12"
html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/voters/s15/"
---

# Unpaid carer juggling work and care

Edition 2 · answers collected 12 October 2026.

[Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/voters/s15/)

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult.

This is a designed voter situation, not a representative sample or a finding about everyone in that group.

## What they asked

### PF078 · Retirement and aged care

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on home-based care, aged care and respite services?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Availability of home care shapes the stated care burden.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/bec8b0b6-237b-4732-9533-092e706f3d2c.md)

### PF079 · Poverty and welfare

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What financial recognition or support do parties propose for unpaid family carers?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Unpaid care reduces paid work and disposable income.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/a006cfe2-0b1d-4f00-bb9a-c564d0adbd02.md)

### PF080 · Healthcare

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about coordinating healthcare and support for families caring for someone at home?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Health services influence the family member's care needs.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/2bade0ae-9471-4d8f-af4b-2221355ddebc.md)

### PF081 · Jobs and unemployment

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties address flexible work and leave for people with substantial caring responsibilities?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Flexible employment affects continued paid work.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/61520967-3119-44b0-803e-6e7b453f3f8a.md)

### PF082 · Mental health and addiction

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about mental health and practical support for family carers?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Sustained caregiving can create a need for support.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/78b52f52-f89f-48a7-9891-8f6e7a59f371.md)

## Which parties AI put in front of this voter

Of the 20 answers this voter received, 15 left out at least one of the six parties in Parliament. Te Pāti Māori was named least often, in 9 of 20.

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers collected |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 19 | 20 |
| Labour | 19 | 20 |
| Greens | 19 | 20 |
| ACT | 12 | 20 |
| NZ First | 14 | 20 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 9 | 20 |
| Opportunity | 10 | 20 |

## Issue by issue

## Retirement and aged care

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 5 | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 5 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |

## Poverty and welfare

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Labour | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

## Healthcare

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| ACT | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 |

## Jobs and unemployment

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 15 | 0 | 2 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 11 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 14 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| ACT | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 4 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| NZ First | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Mental health and addiction

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 9 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

## How the assistants handled this voter’s main question

Staff retention remains central, with a narrower party field.

5 October: The answer discussed pay equity, respite funding and carer subsidies and included Te Pāti Māori’s community-led support.

12 October: The answer retains workforce and respite pressures, adds a claimed 4% provider-funding uplift under National and omits Te Pāti Māori.

The explanation of why carers cannot obtain a break remains broadly consistent. New funding detail is an attribution to verify; a funding uplift does not establish a respite worker is available.

Gemini · 5 October 2026 · Earlier answer

> ### Things to Consider When Evaluating Manifestos

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/1/questions/bec8b0b6-237b-4732-9533-092e706f3d2c/#answer-8671af77-7c35-4395-a832-bb69bbf044cd)

Gemini · 12 October 2026 · Refreshed answer

> such as the 4% funding increase for providers

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/bec8b0b6-237b-4732-9533-092e706f3d2c/#answer-ea82504b-15b5-4a70-9fb8-fd62afdd07d6)

## Sources recorded against the answers

## ChatGPT

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | 5 | 5 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| national.org.nz | 5 |
| greens.org.nz | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| msd.govt.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| disabilitysupport.govt.nz | 2 |
| healthnz.govt.nz | 2 |
| nzfirst.nz | 2 |
| employment.govt.nz | 1 |
| legislation.govt.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 18 |
| Government | 9 |
| News | 0 |
| Comparison sites | 1 |
| Advocacy groups | 0 |
| Businesses | 0 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 0 |

## Gemini

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | 5 | 0 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| apex.org.nz | 3 |
| greypowermag.co.nz | 3 |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| alzheimers.org.nz | 1 |
| auckland.ac.nz | 1 |
| disabilitysupport.govt.nz | 1 |
| employment.govt.nz | 1 |
| msd.govt.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 2 |
| Government | 3 |
| News | 0 |
| Comparison sites | 1 |
| Advocacy groups | 9 |
| Businesses | 0 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 2 |

## Google AI Mode

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | 5 | 2 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 3 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 3 |
| drnz.co.nz | 2 |
| greypowermag.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| carers.net.nz | 1 |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 1 |
| disabilitysupport.govt.nz | 1 |
| facebook.com | 1 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 1 |
| Government | 2 |
| News | 5 |
| Comparison sites | 2 |
| Advocacy groups | 10 |
| Businesses | 2 |
| Social media | 1 |
| Other | 1 |

## Google AI Overviews

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | 5 | 1 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| greypowermag.co.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| facebook.com | 3 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| apex.org.nz | 2 |
| blog.fsc.org.nz | 2 |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 2 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 2 |

Publisher counts sum recorded website/answer associations; one answer can contribute to several websites and publisher types.

| Publisher type | Recorded associations |
| --- | --- |
| Party websites | 9 |
| Government | 3 |
| News | 9 |
| Comparison sites | 3 |
| Advocacy groups | 14 |
| Businesses | 2 |
| Social media | 3 |
| Other | 4 |

## Interpretation limits

Authored situations are not a representative population sample. Consumer answers can vary across reruns, retrieval conditions, interface versions and timing. One collection per edition records snapshots rather than isolating causes. The report makes no statistical-significance claim, infers no voter persuasion and does not convert presence into support. Verified developments are distinguished from altered AI descriptions.

A design change should be recorded as a new catalogue version. Preserved gaps prevent missing coverage from becoming an apparent substantive shift.

[Read the complete methodology](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/method.md)

## Publication and corrections

Published and funded by Onsomble Limited. NZBrands.ai takes no view on any party or policy.

[Independence](https://nzbrands.ai/about/independence/) · [Corrections](https://nzbrands.ai/about/corrections/) · [Contact](https://nzbrands.ai/about/contact/)