# PF073: I have a mobility impairment, rent and want to keep living independently. I rely on accessible transport and support services. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on disability support funding, eligibility and individual choice? Collected 19 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 4 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: eacaa8d0-18eb-4ea9-b2be-a7a221e0c52b # New Zealand 2026 election: disability support, independence and choice For your situation, three policy questions are particularly important: will funding be sufficient and predictable, will you qualify for the support you need, and will you retain control over how that support is delivered? Accessible transport and the ability to remain in a rented home are also important parts of independent living. New Zealand's general election is on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Several parties have published disability-related proposals, but the detail varies considerably. Some have comprehensive commitments; others have not published a dedicated disability policy, so their intentions are harder to assess. [Blind Low Vision NZ - Election Resource](https://blindlowvision.org.nz/news/election-resource-disability-related-party-policies-breakdown/)[Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Access 2026: accessibility action plan for the 2026 General Election](https://elections.nz/about/about-the-electoral-commission/corporate-publications/access-2026-action-plan) The comparison below focuses on the major parties and Opportunity (TOP), using published 2026 policies and independent disability-sector analysis available as of October 2026. It distinguishes announced policies from existing government arrangements and areas where a party's position remains unclear. ## 1. How the parties compare The following is a comparison of the positions documented in current election coverage and disability-sector analysis. “Not specified” means the available material does not establish a clear commitment; it does not necessarily mean a party opposes the policy. | Party | Disability funding and eligibility | Individual choice and control | | --- | --- | --- | | National | Emphasises financial stability, consistent assessments and funding for existing services. | Has announced some restored flexibility in spending, while retaining budget limits and approval requirements for some purchases. | | Labour | Proposes a rights-based redesign of the disability support system; detailed future funding and eligibility settings need clarification. | Promises to repeal the current disability support legislation and develop replacement legislation with disabled people. | | ACT | No detailed standalone 2026 disability funding or eligibility programme identified in the reviewed analysis. | Emphasises individualised funding, personal autonomy, less bureaucracy and spending accountability. | | Green Party | Proposes more accessible income support that covers disability-related living and medical costs, with wider welfare reform. | Supports Enabling Good Lives, expanded individualised funding and fewer restrictive assessment barriers. | | New Zealand First | No detailed disability-specific funding or eligibility reform identified. | No detailed current commitment on individualised funding or choice of support workers identified. | | Te Pāti Māori | Emphasises Māori-led disability services, whānau wellbeing and structural income and housing reform; detailed funding rules are less developed publicly. | Centres self-determination and decision-making by tāngata whaikaha Māori, whānau, hapū and iwi. | | Opportunity (TOP) | Proposes a citizen's income, a disability allowance and needs-based top-ups, alongside wider social-service reform. | Supports choosing your own navigator and connecting disability, health, education and ACC services, but has not detailed a full DSS funding redesign. | Sources: the September 2026 reporting by The Spinoff and the election comparison by Disability Responsiveness New Zealand, published through Deafblind Association New Zealand. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Blind Low Vision NZ - Election Resource](https://blindlowvision.org.nz/news/election-resource-disability-related-party-policies-breakdown/) These are different approaches rather than a simple ranking. A party can support personal choice in principle while disagreeing about how much money should be available, who qualifies or how tightly funding should be controlled. ## 2. What the differences could mean for you ### Funding: will support be adequate and reliable? - National: Its record in government includes $1.1 billion allocated over five years for disability support services in Budget 2024, followed by $240 million over four years in Budget 2025 for residential care. These are historical funding commitments, not a guarantee of what you personally will receive or of future increases. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) - Labour: Its proposed legislative reset makes the future rules a central issue. Ask how it would fund support-worker hours, household assistance and personal care, and whether existing allocations would be protected during the transition. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) - Greens: Their approach links disability support with adequate income, healthcare and the removal of financial barriers. The practical question is how their commitments would be funded and implemented across the country. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) - ACT: Its emphasis on accountability and individualised funding raises a useful question: would people have enough funding to exercise meaningful choice, and what safeguards would prevent unmet needs? - New Zealand First: Ask whether it would commit to specific increases in disability support funding and how it would respond to rising support costs. - Te Pāti Māori: Its focus on Māori-led services and whānau wellbeing raises questions about funding directly to community providers and how individuals could access those services. - Opportunity: Its proposed income reforms include a separate disability allowance and needs-based top-ups. Ask how these would be calculated and whether they would cover the extra costs associated with your impairment. The distinction to watch is between announcing more money for a service, guaranteeing that eligible people can obtain support, and increasing the amount allocated to each individual. Those are not interchangeable promises. ### Eligibility: who decides what support you qualify for? For you, eligibility matters because you want to remain independent rather than have to wait until you need a more intensive level of care. - National's current approach emphasises consistent assessments and allocation rules across regions. - Labour proposes replacing the current disability support legislation with a rights-based framework developed with disabled people. - The Greens support moving away from restrictive, deficit-based assessments and reducing administrative barriers. - ACT emphasises simpler processes and accountability, but the reviewed material does not set out a detailed new disability eligibility framework. - New Zealand First has not specified a comprehensive disability eligibility reform. - Te Pāti Māori emphasises self-determination and Māori-led provision, with less published technical detail on individual eligibility rules. - Opportunity's proposed income system would change how income support is delivered, but its wider income reforms should not be confused with a complete replacement for needs-assessed disability services. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) One important distinction: a general income payment and a disability support allocation serve different purposes. An income payment helps meet ordinary living costs; disability support can pay for particular assistance needed to live independently. A party's income policy alone does not establish how it would assess personal care, household help or other support needs. ## 3. Accessible transport: a key difference ![Total Mobility scheme](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/oSm_pqrKaoeU_hkCNrn5LQ948jJN0u937icMFfJfo3BK1GdTiQkgK7eLxoIxqsNLthmgZhjlvpCRrvNm2rm5tNB1faVQPZTw_KUkR2_vJMPVjM2LYnTKrpe8d9GsOfJ6dP-tmb38Zrs6LQOxie3RksvHHQoesAd1UrIGl5kjjcc?purpose=inline) Green Party The Greens have promised to restore the 75% Total Mobility taxi subsidy, following its reduction to 65%, and to improve the availability of accessible vehicles. They have also advocated reversing the reduction in Total Mobility support. [How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Greens Offer Votes To National Party For Immediate Relief In Fossil Fuel Crisis](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_offer_votes_to_national_party_for_immediate_relief_in_fossil_fuel_crisis) ![Greater Wellington — Create your own social stories – taking the bus](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/33zKnKQ3zifPh0Ja-MF4ThBrV457CpoH6vY5Ib3MnrkWWAd1q1mHoDIq9doc_bNE78bJknfZZJAQ_SZqhsceJxIaHYOR7evs4AV0I4tiPZs5UxMwCsuAOL4QJlDJYb0Qoidu3yZ7UiL_ZPjFXJcx4gJkZf-HrE3cUH5XacFMNv4?purpose=inline) Labour Labour proposes a weekly public-transport fare cap of $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 elsewhere, from 1 July 2027. This would reduce eligible bus, train and some ferry costs, but a lower fare does not by itself guarantee an accessible route or a door-to-door option. [Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy/) ![Accessibility » Metlink](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/emBmG_yeQb0GxyQUPj4JZpMWiYEB0RklovxLtUc0BhOOr26h0HEgNuqMDWcpZrCBgkuHHlbZFXYfd3cK1rYGJt7BbVgXXlBYJtUGeP02PUWP2DJraZHTE7WDMSY-Apq7f_CmEzC6dZPXpDcC6pSUkFzL2UCb83uTsOZfECHPL2c?purpose=inline) Other parties National, ACT, New Zealand First, Te Pāti Māori and Opportunity have not been identified in the reviewed comparisons as having an equally specific, comparable 2026 commitment on Total Mobility. Some support accessibility or transport improvements more broadly, but ask for explicit funding and delivery commitments. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) For someone who relies on accessible transport, ask parties about more than subsidy percentages: - Will the Total Mobility subsidy and the number of accessible taxis be maintained or expanded? - Will funding keep pace with taxi fares and the cost of providing accessible vehicles? - Will public transport be accessible in practice, including reliable ramps, lifts, stops and connections? - Will you still be able to reach medical appointments, shops, work and social activities when buses or trains are not a viable option? Existing government information describes Total Mobility as a subsidised door-to-door service for eligible people, with regional arrangements affecting what is available. [Transport and vehicles](https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/support-and-services/housing-and-transport/transport-and-vehicles)[Transport and vehicles](https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/support-and-services/housing-and-transport/transport-and-vehicles) ## 4. Renting and remaining independent at home Accessible housing matters even when you do not own your home. A shortage of suitable rentals, difficulty getting modifications approved, or a lack of help with daily tasks can threaten independence regardless of your disability funding allocation. | Party | Relevant policy direction | | --- | --- | | National | A refreshed Disability Strategy for 2026–2030, but no specific accessible-rental or enforceable universal-design commitment identified in the reviewed election platform. | | Labour | Rights-based disability reform and accessible income support; its specific 2026 accessible-rental commitments are less developed in the reviewed material. | | Greens | Supports universal-design standards for new public and private housing, more accessible community housing and stronger renter protections. | | ACT | Focuses on increasing housing supply through market-led development; no specific accessible-housing requirement identified. | | New Zealand First | Focuses on general housing supply and helping older people remain at home; no explicit universal-design requirement identified. | | Te Pāti Māori | Supports Māori-led and community-based housing, including accessible homes that accommodate whānau needs. | | Opportunity | Supports accessible public housing and changes to housing design requirements; its wider reforms address structural housing barriers. | [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) For your circumstances, the most useful questions are whether a party would: - Increase the supply of accessible, affordable rental homes. - Require new homes to meet meaningful accessibility standards. - Make it easier for renters to obtain reasonable accessibility modifications. - Ensure support-worker services are available at home, rather than requiring people to move into residential care to get adequate assistance. These are policy areas where a broad commitment to “more housing” is not necessarily the same as a commitment to accessible housing. ## 5. Individualised funding: what to look for Individualised Funding (IF) already exists in New Zealand. It allows eligible people to purchase approved disability supports, including personal care and household assistance, with greater control over who provides support and when. Eligibility depends on assessment and the support allocated to the person. [Individualised Funding](https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/assessment-and-funding/individualised-funding)[Individualised Funding](https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/assessment-and-funding/individualised-funding) The important distinction between parties is not simply whether they support “choice”. It is how much real choice you can exercise within your funding allocation. Consider these questions when reading a party's policy: - Who controls the budget? Can you choose and manage your own support workers, or must you use approved providers? - What can funding cover? Are household assistance, personal care, respite and other disability-related needs addressed clearly? - What happens when needs change? Can funding be reassessed promptly if your mobility deteriorates or your current support arrangements stop working? - Can you challenge a decision? Are there transparent eligibility criteria, independent reviews and appeal rights? - Will the funding be enough? Flexibility is of limited value if the allocation cannot cover the support you need. National's current approach retains allocated budgets and some approval requirements while easing certain restrictions. Labour proposes a different legislative framework developed with disabled people. The Greens explicitly support expanding individualised funding and reducing restrictive assessment barriers. ACT emphasises personal choice and spending accountability. The other parties have less detailed published information on the mechanics of individualised funding. [Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election) ## 6. Questions to put to every party before you vote The Disabled Persons Assembly, CCS Disability Action and Your Way Kia Roha have asked the main parties questions about disability rights, eligibility, predictable funding, income support and enforceable accessibility standards. Their election scorecard is particularly relevant because it seeks direct answers from the parties rather than relying only on general policy descriptions. The page available when checked said responses were still being collated. [Disability Scorecard for 2026 General Election » Disabled Persons Assembly NZ](https://www.dpa.org.nz/news-and-information/latest-news/disability-scorecard-for-2026-general-election/) You could use these five questions to compare party responses consistently: ### Your election checklist 0 of 5 Will you guarantee predictable, needs-based funding that is sufficient for people to live independently in their own homes? Will you protect individualised funding and give disabled people meaningful control over their support workers, schedules and approved purchases? Will you make eligibility criteria transparent, prevent arbitrary reductions and provide a fair, independent appeals process? Will you maintain or increase Total Mobility subsidies and improve the availability of accessible transport? Will you increase accessible rental housing and establish enforceable accessibility standards? Copy questions for party candidates ## 7. Where to verify the latest commitments These sources are useful for checking policy details and updates before election day. - [The Spinoff — disability policy comparison for the 2026 election](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Deafblind Association NZ — party disability policy report](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Disabled Persons Assembly NZ — disability election scorecard](https://www.dpa.org.nz/news-and-information/latest-news/disability-scorecard-for-2026-general-election/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Disability Support Services — Individualised Funding](https://www.disabilitysupport.govt.nz/disabled-people/assessment-and-funding/individualised-funding?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Policy.nz — 2026 party policy comparison](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/transport-and-infrastructure?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ## Bottom line The key differences are between parties emphasising financial stability and consistent administration, parties proposing rights-based changes to disability legislation, and parties advocating wider income, housing or self-determination reforms. Their commitments on accessible transport are also different in specificity. For your decision, separate the question of whether you support a party's general philosophy from the practical question of whether its published policies would preserve the support, transport access and accessible housing you need to remain independent. Where details are missing, ask for a specific commitment, eligibility rule, funding amount or implementation date rather than assuming the policy will cover your needs. ## Gemini Answer ID: d7e689d7-f96b-4506-845a-4d2cb50585dc For renters with mobility impairments who rely on independent living, accessible transport, and support services, navigating the political landscape involves looking closely at how parties approach **Disability Support Services (DSS)**, individual agency, and funding models. Across New Zealand's political spectrum, parties generally align along different philosophies—ranging from centralised, nationally consistent management and rights-based frameworks to market-driven or individualized direct funding options. --- ### 1. Overview of Party Approaches to Disability Support & Funding * **National Party** * **Focus:** Centred on fiscal sustainability within Disability Support Services (DSS), establishing national consistency in assessment and allocation, and updating the national disability strategy. * **Individual Choice:** Emphasizes restoring flexibility within existing funding streams, but balances this with structured oversight to manage budget blowouts. * **Labour Party** * **Focus:** Takes a rights-based, equity-focused approach aligned with the **Enabling Good Lives (EGL)** principles and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. * **Individual Choice:** Strongly advocates for individualised funding and user-led control, committing to repealing recent government-proposed disability support changes that drew sector criticism. * **Green Party** * **Focus:** Strongly champions full choice and control, pushing to move away from rigid, deficit-based assessments toward a fully realized Enabling Good Lives model. * **Individual Choice:** Advocates for expanding individualised funding models, reducing bureaucratic access barriers, and ensuring disabled people have direct agency over their support packages. * **ACT New Zealand** * **Focus:** Favours streamlined, market-oriented administration with a heavy emphasis on reduced bureaucracy. * **Individual Choice:** Leans toward direct, highly individualised ("cash-like") funding allocated straight to individuals rather than traditional provider-led models, coupled with tighter fiscal eligibility checks. * **The Opportunity Party (TOP) & Te Pāti Māori** * **Focus:** Both advocate for broader structural income and welfare reforms. TOP, for instance, highlights a "Citizens’ Income and Disability Allowance" to simplify living costs and supports navigators/advocacy funding to help people manage disjointed health and social systems. Te Pāti Māori focuses on poverty reduction, overarching welfare redesign, and legally enforceable accessibility frameworks. --- ### 2. Key Themes Relevant to Independent Living If you are renting and managing mobility needs, political differences usually manifest in three key areas: * **Funding Predictability vs. Control:** Parties like Labour and the Greens emphasize expanding individualised funding to maximize personal choice over *how* and *by whom* daily support is delivered. Conversely, National and ACT focus more heavily on system sustainability, standardized national criteria, and reducing administrative overhead, which can mean tighter parameters on how flexible funds are deployed. * **Accessibility & Housing:** Independent living heavily relies on physical infrastructure. Parties vary widely on whether they back enforceable, mandatory accessibility legislation (such as updates to the Building Code for universal design in rental and public housing) or prefer voluntary guidelines and market incentives. * **Income Security and Living Costs:** Parties on the left (Greens, Labour, Te Pāti Māori, TOP) generally propose raising baseline benefit levels or introducing specialized allowances to offset the extra, unacknowledged costs of disability. Parties on the right (National, ACT) tend to focus on employment-incentive models, tighter benefit obligations, or broader economic reforms (like tax relief) rather than direct income-support increases. --- ### Summary for Your Vote * If your priority is **maximizing individual choice, adherence to Enabling Good Lives principles, and rolling back centralized restrictions**, parties like **Labour and the Greens** align closely with those mechanisms. * If your priority is **system stability, nationally standardized allocations, and fiscal restraint**, the **National Party's** approach mirrors that direction. * If you favor **direct, individualized cash-style funding with minimal state provider bureaucracy**, **ACT's** philosophy reflects that model. *Note: For the 2026 General Election, ensure you are enrolled. You can also access resources like the **Election Access Fund**, which assists disabled candidates, and review the Electoral Commission’s **Access 2026** plan for voting accessibility information.* Would you like to explore how specific parties address public transport accessibility or housing modifications in their manifestos? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 7e4fa86b-ef30-4299-a6f0-424e03947519 For the 2026 New Zealand general election, political parties offer distinct visions for disability support funding, individual choice, eligibility, and accessibility. A breakdown based on analyses from sector groups like Disability Responsiveness New Zealand and The Spinoff highlights how the major and minor parties compare relative to independent living, transport, and support services: Major Parties * * **National Party** * **Funding & Stability:** Focuses heavily on the financial stabilization and sustainability of Disability Support Services (DSS) and managing system expenditure. Rather than sweeping structural overhauls, National emphasizes consistent, standardized support delivery across different regions. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Centers on maintaining and refining funding choice mechanisms within structured fiscal boundaries. National oversaw the refresh of the national disability strategy, prioritizing consistency over new expanded entitlements. * **Transport & Independent Living:** Relies on standard infrastructure and regional management frameworks without dedicated new nationwide mandates for transport subsidies or housing overhauls. [Disability Responsiveness New Zealand] * **Labour Party** * **Funding & Stability:** Pledges to repeal recent government disability support legislation and co-design a brand-new, rights-based framework directly in partnership with disability communities. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Focuses on shifting away from top-down bureaucratic control toward a co-designed model that centers disabled people's autonomy and human rights in determining eligibility and service design. * **Transport & Independent Living:** Advocates for a rights-based approach to community participation, though past legislative efforts (such as the Accessibility for New Zealanders Act) faced criticism from advocates for lacking enforceable standards. * Minor & Emerging Parties * * **Green Party** * **Funding & Stability:** Offers the most comprehensive, explicitly rights-based platform. Proposes expanding ACC-style coverage to provide consistent income support and treatment for all illnesses and disabilities regardless of origin. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Backs timely, dignified income support and enforceable accessibility standards with strict timelines covering buildings, digital access, and transport. * **Transport & Independent Living:** Explicitly targets independent mobility by pledging to restore the 75% national subsidy for the Total Mobility taxi scheme, alongside strong commitments to accessible public housing. * **ACT Party** * **Funding & Stability:** Focuses on smaller government, fiscal restraint, and streamlined bureaucracy. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Favours direct, individualised funding models that theoretically increase personal choice in purchasing support, but generally opposes broad mandates, new rights-based bureaucracy, or wide state-funded expansions. * **Transport & Independent Living:** Does not feature a heavy emphasis on state-led accessibility standards or public transport subsidization, relying instead on market flexibility. [Disability Responsiveness New Zealand] * **New Zealand First** * **Funding & Stability:** Does not run on a standalone, comprehensive disability manifesto; disability issues are typically integrated indirectly through broader health and senior citizen frameworks. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Maintains a conservative fiscal posture with no major new funding or eligibility expansions proposed for independent living. * **Transport & Independent Living:** Historically supportive of baseline public building accessibility standards (such as previous private member's accessibility bills), but lacks fresh sweeping commitments for transport infrastructure. * **Te Pāti Māori** * **Funding & Stability:** Focuses on tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) for tāngata whaikaha Māori and whānau hauā, advocating for Māori-led, community-designed support services. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Centres localized, culturally grounded support structures that empower individuals and whānau to direct their own care. * **Transport & Independent Living:** Supports embedding enforceable accessibility standards comprehensively across public spaces, housing, and transport. [Disability Responsiveness New Zealand] * **The Opportunities Party (TOP)** * **Funding & Stability:** Proposes structural welfare overhaul via a universal basic income (citizen's income) of up to $370 a week for adults, which would replace standard baseline benefits. * **Individual Choice & Eligibility:** Pairs the universal income with a universal annual disability allowance (projected around $6,000 per year) alongside needs-based top-ups, designed to simplify eligibility and reduce benefit traps. * **Independent Living:** Separates baseline income reform from specific assistive technology and transport funding, intending for specialized disability needs to remain supported. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 85ddf121-2d22-44e0-9517-5ca4767d37d1 For the **2026 New Zealand general election** , political parties offer starkly different paths regarding disability support funding, eligibility criteria, and individual choice. Following the controversial passage of the Government's _Disability Support Services Act_ in September 2026—which aimed to set a stricter formal framework for disability funding—the debate centers heavily on state control versus rights-based self-determination. Here is how the major political parties compare on the key areas affecting your independent living, renting, and transport needs. Funding, Eligibility, and Individual Choice Comparison Party| Disability Funding Approach| Eligibility & Assessment Changes| Individual Choice & Flexibility ---|---|---|--- **National**| Focuses on systemic **financial stabilization** and building a nationally consistent model.| Intends to streamline and standardize assessments across regions.| Promises to restore some **flexible funding choices** but operates under the strict 2026 legislative framework. **Labour**| Commits to **scrapping and rebuilding** the system using a rights-based, equity-focused model.| Pledges to co-draft eligibility criteria in direct partnership with the disability community.| Strongly backs the **Enabling Good Lives (EGL)** principles, expanding individual choice and self-determination. **Green Party**| Advocates for **fully funded care** , Te Tiriti-based rights law, and mandated pay equity for care workers.| Seeks to eliminate strict gatekeeping; focuses on timely and dignified access to support.| Maximizes individual autonomy; supports **robust funding flexibility** managed by the individual. **ACT**| Proposes **cutting disability benefits by $653 million** over four years to reduce government spending.| **Tightens criteria** , requiring independent medical certification against rigid benchmarks.| Favors direct, individualized funding and reduced bureaucracy but opposes rights-based expansions. **The Opportunities Party (TOP)**| Replaces some benefits with a **Universal Basic Income ($370/wk)** plus a **$6,000/yr disability allowance**.| Maintains separate, needs-based top-ups for high-level care and assistive technology.| Shifts individual choice to a direct cash-transfer model, giving renters cash-autonomy. Impact on Independent Living, Renting, and Transport National Party * **Transport:** Focused primarily on national networks, with less explicit emphasis on expanding localized Total Mobility expansions. * **Renting & Housing:** Emphasizes overall financial stability but lacks distinct commitments regarding mandatory accessible structural designs for rental or public housing. Labour Party * **Transport:** Promises to introduce a **$20/week cap on public transport** in major cities (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) and a **$10/week cap elsewhere** in New Zealand. * **Renting & Housing:** Focuses on community inclusion, aiming to expand independent-living housing options over institutional models. Green Party * **Transport:** Promises to **restore the 75% subsidy for the Total Mobility taxi scheme** (which was reduced to 65% in 2026) and actively increase the fleet of accessible mobility vehicles. * **Renting & Housing:** Targets rental barriers by implementing robust **universal design standards** for both public and private housing, ensuring new rental properties are structurally accessible. If you would like to explore specific party manifestos further or need information on how to cast an accessible vote, please let me know. **Early voting opens on 26 October** , with **Election Day on 7 November 2026**.