---
title: "Renter with variable work hours"
publisher: "Onsomble Limited"
publication: "NZBrands.ai"
edition: 3
collected_on: "2026-10-16"
html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/voters/s03/"
---

# Renter with variable work hours

Edition 3 · answers collected 16 October 2026.

[Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/voters/s03/)

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't.

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

## What they asked

### PF011 · Housing

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would the parties change about rental affordability, tenancy protections and the supply of rental homes?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Rent and tenancy security are immediate exposure.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/aad955c0-4953-48fe-804b-51fe7f380ba2.md)

### PF012 · Jobs and unemployment

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties would change rules around guaranteed hours, casual work and sick leave, and what are the trade-offs?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Unpredictable hours create income instability.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/bcb5e5bc-b63b-4169-8295-e03c3d7002e4.md)

### PF013 · Cost of living

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would parties do for households whose wages are not keeping up with groceries and bills?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Fixed bills continue when earnings fall.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/a5f87efc-fba5-41c3-b6b0-39ae9b3e28ed.md)

### PF014 · Fuel and energy

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties plan to bring down electricity costs, and is there evidence their proposals would work?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Power is an unavoidable household expense.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/345f904e-a1c8-4eb8-8b7a-57bb92b61f5c.md)

### PF015 · Tax and public spending

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How would the parties' tax plans affect take-home pay for workers on modest incomes?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Take-home pay and service funding are connected.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/4312b060-77f1-4fcd-bf27-813a564b3a4e.md)

### PF016 · Healthcare

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties proposing about GP costs and access for working people who struggle to afford an appointment?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Lost income compounds out-of-pocket medical expenses.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/efb50721-f731-4bea-b45a-e0c98d1e3763.md)

### PF017 · Housing

I rent with my partner and work rostered hours that change from week to week. Our pay can drop unexpectedly, but rent and bills don't. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. If rent security and having enough money left each week are my biggest priorities, which party would you recommend I vote for, and what are the trade-offs?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: An immediate housing/income dilemma motivates asking for a recommendation.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/03a1575f-5356-49a2-97b5-ae43c0bb7cb8.md)

## Which parties AI put in front of this voter

Of the 28 answers this voter received, 16 left out at least one of the six parties in Parliament. Te Pāti Māori was named least often, in 17 of 28.

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers collected |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 28 | 28 |
| Labour | 28 | 28 |
| Greens | 28 | 28 |
| ACT | 27 | 28 |
| NZ First | 19 | 28 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 17 | 28 |
| Opportunity | 10 | 28 |

## Issue by issue

## Housing

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 17 | 37 | 10 | 1 |
| Labour | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 13 | 27 | 3 | 4 |
| Greens | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 20 | 33 | 2 | 3 |
| ACT | 8 | 8 | 100.0% | 16 | 31 | 9 | 1 |
| NZ First | 5 | 8 | 62.5% | 2 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 8 | 37.5% | 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 3 | 8 | 37.5% | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 |

## Jobs and unemployment

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 9 | 13 | 3 | 1 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| NZ First | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 7 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Cost of living

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 13 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |

## Fuel and energy

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 16 | 2 | 3 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 9 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 13 | 1 | 3 |
| ACT | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| NZ First | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Tax and public spending

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 10 | 0 | 4 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| NZ First | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| Opportunity | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 3 | 13 | 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 13 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| NZ First | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

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

More party-specific descriptions; stable protection-versus-supply framing

Edition 2 groups rental approaches into political blocs; Edition 3 returns to named party profiles and more specific asserted rent/tax mechanisms. All editions retain tenant protection versus private-supply trade-offs. Opportunity remains present in Editions 2 and 3, but only the former explicitly pairs its land tax with a citizen’s income in this primary answer.

Gemini · 12 October 2026 · Earlier answer

> Navigating variable rostered hours and fluctuating pay while keeping up with fixed costs like rent is a significant financial pressure. In the context of the New Zealand political landscape, different parties approach the rental market through contrasting lenses—balancing private property rights and landlord incentives versus tenant protections, market regulation, and state-backed housing supply.

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/aad955c0-4953-48fe-804b-51fe7f380ba2/#answer-d9be0277-6ee2-443a-a919-96c76ede05b2)

Gemini · 16 October 2026 · Refreshed answer

> **immediate cost predictability and protection from sudden rent hikes**

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/aad955c0-4953-48fe-804b-51fe7f380ba2/#answer-c194f832-255e-416e-b93e-93d02d6f4867)

## Sources recorded against the answers

## ChatGPT

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 7 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 6 |
| national.org.nz | 6 |
| greens.org.nz | 5 |
| reuters.com | 5 |
| policy.nz | 4 |
| nzfirst.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| opportunity.org.nz | 2 |
| pwc.co.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.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 | 24 |
| Government | 10 |
| News | 10 |
| Comparison sites | 5 |
| Advocacy groups | 0 |
| Businesses | 4 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 1 |

## Gemini

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 0 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| buildara.nz | 3 |
| whichparty.nz | 3 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| dfkorb360.co.nz | 1 |
| dtilawyers.co.nz | 1 |
| electrification.co.nz | 1 |
| lightforce.co.nz | 1 |
| mbie.govt.nz | 1 |
| nbr.co.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 | 3 |
| Government | 1 |
| News | 1 |
| Comparison sites | 5 |
| Advocacy groups | 2 |
| Businesses | 4 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 7 |

## Google AI Mode

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 2 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| pmn.co.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 2 |
| realestate.co.nz | 2 |
| waateanews.com | 2 |
| bills.parliament.nz | 1 |
| employment.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 | 7 |
| Government | 3 |
| News | 14 |
| Comparison sites | 4 |
| Advocacy groups | 1 |
| Businesses | 3 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 3 |

## Google AI Overviews

| Answers collected | Answers with sources recorded | Answers showing a link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 | 7 | 3 |

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| facebook.com | 3 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 3 |
| kiwicost.co.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| waateanews.com | 2 |
| whichparty.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 | 10 |
| Government | 5 |
| News | 13 |
| Comparison sites | 7 |
| Advocacy groups | 5 |
| Businesses | 9 |
| Social media | 5 |
| Other | 8 |

## What this can and cannot tell you

Three sets of answers, from made-up voters, on three days.

Each question was asked once per edition. AI assistants vary their answers, so part of any change between editions is that variation rather than a lasting shift. Three editions show what changed; they do not show why. News events, what the assistants retrieved and changes to the assistants themselves all remain possible explanations.

The voters are designed situations, not a sample of New Zealanders. The study shows what the assistants said and lets anyone check it. It does not show whether anyone changed their vote.

We read all 31 voting-guidance answers and each voter's main question in full, and checked 12 statements. We have not read all 793 answers in full or checked every policy claim.

[Read the complete methodology](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/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/)