# Working household under mortgage pressure

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 5 · Voter profiles · S05

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 6 |
| answers collected | 24 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 23: Cost of living

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties proposing about household costs, and which proposals would actually apply to a working family like ours?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca.md)

### Question 24: Tax and public spending

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How would party tax and family-support plans change the finances of a two-income family?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/7351a5dc-44bf-45e2-b76d-6ab0dce851ed.md)

### Question 25: Economy

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How much control can a government really have over mortgage rates, and what are the parties promising about economic stability?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/3a4ec4f8-58be-4008-9e23-4cdc9977046b.md)

### Question 26: Fuel and energy

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties have credible plans for electricity prices and supply?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/14f33e0d-24ab-42c3-86c1-3e8de5c63bd1.md)

### Question 27: Education and childcare

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties differ on school funding, learning support and costs that families pay themselves?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/503735dc-37c4-4abf-8338-60889d9ba848.md)

### Question 28: Infrastructure and local services

We own a home with a mortgage, have school-age children and rely on two wages. After mortgage payments, rates, power and groceries, there is little buffer. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would national party policies change about local rates and water costs, and what remains a council decision?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/1406e63c-f155-4216-acba-7d21d030902c.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 24 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 24 | 24 |
| Labour | 23 | 24 |
| Greens | 21 | 24 |
| ACT | 19 | 24 |
| NZ First | 13 | 24 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 12 | 24 |
| TOP | 9 | 24 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Each row is one of this voter's topics. Each column is a party. The figure shows how often the party was named in the answers.

This table shows the answers recorded on 23 October. The coloured bars summarise how statements about each party were assessed; select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | National | 4 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| Cost of living | Labour | 4 | 4 | 29 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Greens | 4 | 4 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Cost of living | ACT | 4 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| Cost of living | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Cost of living | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Cost of living | TOP | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tax and public spending | National | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Tax and public spending | Labour | 4 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Tax and public spending | Greens | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
| Tax and public spending | ACT | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| Tax and public spending | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Tax and public spending | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Tax and public spending | TOP | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Economy | National | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Economy | Labour | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | Greens | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | ACT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Economy | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Economy | TOP | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fuel and energy | National | 4 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | Labour | 4 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 4 |
| Fuel and energy | Greens | 4 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel and energy | ACT | 3 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | TOP | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 3 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education and childcare | National | 4 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Infrastructure and local services | National | 4 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Labour | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Greens | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | ACT | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | NZ First | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Te Pāti Māori | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The mortgage-household answer added The Opportunity Party and more examples of tax proposals. It continued to distinguish direct help with household costs from wider economic effects on mortgage rates.

The earlier answer gave more attention to eligibility for family assistance. A broader list of policies does not show what this household would receive.

Gemini: “A prominent proposal includes expanding support through **Working for Families**, such as a pledged increase targeting working families (including proposals to lift the in-work tax credit framework significantly for eligible recipients), alongside indexing the minimum wage to inflation.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4/questions/463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca.md) · Answer ID: 4dfe9b45-d276-454b-89a9-1638388081fd

Gemini: “* **Interest Rates and the Mortgage:** None of the political parties directly set the Official Cash Rate (OCR) or mortgage interest rates, as monetary policy is independently managed by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ).”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/463c39bc-c868-4abc-a70c-c32da549b2ca.md) · Answer ID: ce559f5b-0245-453c-95ad-be4d22a0a8cf

## The sources behind these answers

The websites recorded with each assistant’s answers for this voter. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| greens.org.nz | 6 |
| labour.org.nz | 6 |
| national.org.nz | 6 |
| act.org.nz | 5 |
| kpmg.com | 3 |
| nzfirst.nz | 2 |
| 1news.co.nz | 1 |
| anzasw.nz | 1 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 1 |
| ea.govt.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| whichparty.nz | 3 |
| assets.kpmg.com | 1 |
| bnz.co.nz | 1 |
| bonded.co.nz | 1 |
| educationcounts.govt.nz | 1 |
| electrification.co.nz | 1 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| lightforce.co.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| en.wikipedia.org | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| rnz.co.nz | 2 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 1 |
| deloitte.com | 1 |
| education.govt.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| instagram.com | 1 |
| kpmg.com | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 5 |
| national.org.nz | 5 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 5 |
| rnz.co.nz | 5 |
| facebook.com | 4 |
| phcc.org.nz | 3 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| kas.de | 2 |
| minterellison.co.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |

Sources count once per answer. Source lists were recorded for 24 of this voter’s 24 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other websites include unclassified publishers.

[Previous: Couple saving for a first home](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/voters/s04)

[Next: Sole parent balancing preschool care and paid work](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/voters/s06)