# Person unable to work because of long-term illness

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 4 · Voter profiles · S09

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

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 5 |
| answers collected | 20 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## 5 questions, each written as this voter would ask it

### 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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/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?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/questions/8e109cca-692b-4809-a3f5-aa7e37845a95.md)

## Which parties AI put in front of this voter

Of the 20 answers this voter received, 7 left out at least one of the six parties in Parliament. NZ First was named least often, in 14 of 20.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 20 | 20 |
| Labour | 20 | 20 |
| Greens | 20 | 20 |
| ACT | 20 | 20 |
| NZ First | 14 | 20 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 15 | 20 |
| Opportunity | 9 | 20 |

## What AI said about each party on this voter's issues

Each row is one of this voter's issues. Each column is a party. The number shows how often the party came up in the answers to this voter. The coloured line under it shows whether what the AI said about the party was positive, neutral or negative.

Toggle assistants on or off to compare them, and click any number to see more detail about the responses.

| Topic | Party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poverty and welfare | National | 4 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Opportunity | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 4 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 3 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Healthcare | Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | National | 4 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 4 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Labour | 4 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Greens | 4 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | ACT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Cost of living | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Opportunity | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 4 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 4 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Opportunity | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Democratic institutions and rights | National | 4 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 5 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Labour | 4 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 3 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Greens | 4 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | ACT | 4 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 1 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 1 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Democratic institutions and rights | Opportunity | 4 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 1 |

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

Opportunity drops out; the core welfare contrast persists

Both answers contrast stricter work-capacity obligations with benefit adequacy, partner-income rules and healthcare costs. Edition 4 moves NZ First into the centre-right grouping and no longer discusses Opportunity’s proposed income-system replacement. The current answer remains conditional about work capacity, but it does not calculate entitlement or distinguish every benefit category. Its policy summaries should not be read as a verified prediction of what obligations this particular ill person would face.

Gemini: “* **The Opportunity Party (TOP):** TOP advocates structural tax and welfare simplification, proposing a universal, means-tested "citizen's income" that would replace existing complex benefit categories (such as Jobseeker Support with a medical deferral or related disability payments) with a streamlined system.”

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

Gemini: “Crucially for individuals with partners, the Greens propose reforming or removing **partnered means testing**, arguing that disabled or chronically ill people should not be financially penalized or stripped of autonomy based on a partner’s income.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/questions/9848363a-8b49-4e5d-88ec-42dcd509ed02.md) · Answer ID: 6fe2e16f-ad76-4359-8c21-fe6882a04d09

## Where the answers to this voter came from

The websites each assistant drew on when it answered this voter, and what kind of publisher they are. Pick an issue to see the websites for that question.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 5 |
| national.org.nz | 5 |
| act.org.nz | 4 |
| nzfirst.nz | 4 |
| deafblindassociation.nz | 3 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| reuters.com | 3 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| workandincome.govt.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| drnz.co.nz | 3 |
| whichparty.nz | 3 |
| blindlowvision.org.nz | 2 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |
| nzvotecheck.com | 1 |
| opportunity.org.nz | 1 |
| pwc.co.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| drnz.co.nz | 3 |
| rnz.co.nz | 3 |
| blindlowvision.org.nz | 2 |
| elections.nz | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| health.govt.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 2 |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 2 |
| drnz.co.nz | 2 |
| facebook.com | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 2 |

A website counts once per answer, however many times the answer used it. Counts come from the sources recorded with each answer: 20 of this voter's 20 answers have at least one. Publisher shares count website-and-answer associations; they are separate from answer counts.

[Previous: Worker recently made redundant](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/voters/s08)

[Next: Café owner with a small team](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/voters/s10)