---
title: "Person unable to work because of long-term illness"
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/s09/"
---

# Person unable to work because of long-term illness

Edition 3 · answers collected 16 October 2026.

[Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/voters/s09/)

I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments.

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

## What they asked

### PF045 · Poverty and welfare

I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How would parties change income support and work obligations for people who cannot work because of illness?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Support level and eligibility affect basic security.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/9848363a-8b49-4e5d-88ec-42dcd509ed02.md)

### PF046 · Healthcare

I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on affordable GP care, specialist access and medicines for people with long-term conditions?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Regular treatment and medicine access are direct needs.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/098b293d-250e-46a2-af25-36f1d5e7a888.md)

### PF047 · Cost of living

I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What party policies would help people on a fixed benefit afford food, housing and power?

Study-assigned priority: Major. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: A limited income must cover essential costs.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/391326d1-546b-4d3e-a492-f7bfb7ca44bc.md)

### PF048 · Jobs and unemployment

I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about supported employment and flexible work for people with health conditions?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Some suitable work may be possible if conditions improve.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/10cc9db9-a3fd-4d0c-9dbb-4819c2338bee.md)

### PF049 · Democratic institutions and rights

I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties say about disability rights and fair treatment when dealing with government services?

Study-assigned priority: Secondary. This is a design assumption, not a measured preference. Reason: Service access and fair treatment are explicit concerns to test.

[Read the captured answers (Markdown)](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/8e109cca-692b-4809-a3f5-aa7e37845a95.md)

## Which parties AI put in front of this voter

Of the 20 answers this voter received, 10 left out at least one of the six parties in Parliament. NZ First was named least often, in 11 of 20.

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers collected |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 20 | 20 |
| Labour | 20 | 20 |
| Greens | 19 | 20 |
| ACT | 19 | 20 |
| NZ First | 11 | 20 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 17 | 20 |
| Opportunity | 10 | 20 |

## Issue by issue

## Poverty and welfare

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 0 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| NZ First | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |

## Healthcare

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 12 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Greens | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 11 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| ACT | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 4 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| NZ First | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 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% | 5 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 15 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| NZ First | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 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% | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 1 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| NZ First | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Opportunity | 3 | 4 | 75.0% | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 |

## Democratic institutions and rights

| Party | Answers naming party | Answers on issue | Share | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
| Labour | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 10 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Greens | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 12 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| ACT | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 0 | 15 | 3 | 3 |
| NZ First | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Opportunity | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 |

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

Specific verification proposal omitted; alternative welfare model introduced

The adequacy-versus-obligations contrast persists, but Edition 3 drops the specific ACT independent-doctor/reassessment proposal described in both earlier answers. It adds Opportunity and describes its citizen’s income as both universal and means-tested, an internal tension requiring clarification rather than an endorsed fact. NZ First shifts from the strict-obligations bloc to a seniors-focused standalone note.

Gemini · 12 October 2026 · Earlier answer

> For someone managing a long-term health condition that limits your ability to work, navigating income support (such as Jobseeker Support with a Health Condition or Disability, or the Supported Living Payment) and medical requirements is a critical issue.

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/9848363a-8b49-4e5d-88ec-42dcd509ed02/#answer-e9dc8d4d-e359-401b-9de2-88c8c06dcb60)

Gemini · 16 October 2026 · Refreshed answer

> a universal, means-tested "citizen's income"

[Full captured answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/3/questions/9848363a-8b49-4e5d-88ec-42dcd509ed02/#answer-03d07699-f679-4735-8415-78fcc5d45bd5)

## 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 |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| deafblindassociation.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| reuters.com | 2 |
| workandincome.govt.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| budget.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 | 14 |
| Government | 5 |
| News | 3 |
| Comparison sites | 2 |
| Advocacy groups | 3 |
| Businesses | 1 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 3 |

## Gemini

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

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| drnz.co.nz | 4 |
| blindlowvision.org.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| buildara.nz | 1 |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 1 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| msd.govt.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |
| nzvotecheck.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 | 1 |
| News | 0 |
| Comparison sites | 3 |
| Advocacy groups | 4 |
| Businesses | 4 |
| Social media | 1 |
| Other | 2 |

## Google AI Mode

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

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 3 |
| blindlowvision.org.nz | 2 |
| drnz.co.nz | 2 |
| rnz.co.nz | 2 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 2 |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| maoriparty.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 | 5 |
| Government | 0 |
| News | 9 |
| Comparison sites | 3 |
| Advocacy groups | 5 |
| Businesses | 2 |
| Social media | 0 |
| Other | 1 |

## Google AI Overviews

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

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 3 |
| drnz.co.nz | 2 |
| facebook.com | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| pmn.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 2 |
| act.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 | 8 |
| Government | 2 |
| News | 8 |
| Comparison sites | 3 |
| Advocacy groups | 8 |
| Businesses | 3 |
| Social media | 2 |
| Other | 2 |

## 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/)