Every question and original answer

For your household, the key question is not just whether a party supports older people. It is whether its policies make it more affordable and practical for an older parent, grandparent or other relative to live with family, maintain their independence, and get the care they need without placing all the financial and caring responsibility on the household.

For a multigenerational Pacific household in New Zealand, I would compare parties across five areas:

• Household costs: superannuation, benefits, energy costs, food and financial support for family carers.
• Housing and space: affordable larger homes, accessible housing, modifications and options for relatives to have some independence under the same roof.
• Healthcare: timely GP appointments, prescriptions, hospital and specialist care, and support for older people with complex needs.
• Family caregiving: respite care, home support, paid leave and financial assistance for relatives providing unpaid care.
• Pacific communities: culturally safe healthcare, Pacific-led support services, and recognition of extended-family caregiving and collective responsibilities.

One important distinction: policies for older people in general do not necessarily provide direct assistance to the family members caring for them. A party might promise better healthcare for an older person but offer little help with the extra bedroom, higher power bills or lost income experienced by their family.

What the parties are proposing

The strongest comparison I found is Grey Power’s September 2026 review, which asked parties directly about older New Zealanders. National has since released a more detailed retirement plan on 22 October. The election is on 7 November 2026, and some policies are still being announced. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersFixing the Basics and Building the Future: National’s plan for retirementKiwi expats could prove crucial in New Zealand's 'knife edge' election

National Party

Focus: more housing choices and financial security

National proposes making it easier to build granny flats and tiny homes, including expanding its rules that remove consent requirements in many cases. It also proposes reserving at least 20% of places funded through its Housing Flexible Fund for seniors’ housing and creating a free 0800 Seniors helpline to help older people navigate government services.

For household costs, it points to the Winter Energy Payment, rates rebates for eligible SuperGold Card holders, and existing support for some prescriptions. These policies could help a family accommodate an older relative, although the housing proposals do not directly pay for everyday caregiving. Fixing the Basics and Building the Future: National’s plan for retirementNational’s plan for retirement

Best question to ask: Will your home qualify for a granny flat, and what help is available if your relative needs daily care?

Labour Party

Focus: reducing healthcare and household expenses

Labour proposes three free GP visits a year for everyone through its Medicard and removing the $5 prescription charge from 1 July 2027. It also proposes restoring pay equity legislation, with a $4-an-hour pay rise for care and support workers under its policy from January 2027.

For your household, cheaper GP visits and prescriptions could make ongoing care more affordable, while better pay for care workers may help the care workforce. However, a worker pay rise is not the same as a payment to family members providing unpaid care. Labour's 2026 Election PoliciesHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Best question to ask: Will your older relative receive enough home-based support, and will you be entitled to any assistance as their carer?

Green Party

Focus: accessible housing, community healthcare and ageing at home

The Greens propose moving towards fully free public primary healthcare, including free dental care and removing prescription charges. They also commit to fully implementing the national Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan over five years.

On housing, their proposals include more accessible public homes, a not-for-profit state-owned retirement village scheme, and more insulation and solar support. Their broader emphasis on community-based care and helping older people remain at home is relevant if your relative wants to live with family rather than move into residential care. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Best question to ask: How much practical respite, home help and dementia support would be available to your family?

New Zealand First

Focus: aged-care reform and housing for seniors

New Zealand First identifies aged-care reform as a priority and supports better coordination between primary healthcare, community services and aged care. It also proposes a Seniors Housing Plan and more options for ageing in place.

This direction is relevant to families wanting older relatives to stay in their community, but the published comparison does not establish exactly how much direct funding, respite care or home support family carers would receive. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Best question to ask: What specific services will be available in your community, and how will families access them?

The Opportunities Party (TOP)

Focus: long-term healthcare planning and housing support

TOP proposes a 10-year, cross-party Health Plan, more investment in primary and preventive care, and stronger community-based services so more older people can age at home.

Its housing proposals include replacing the Accommodation Supplement with a universal housing payment, expanding social housing and allowing interest-free rates deferrals for older homeowners. TOP also emphasises support for family carers. These ideas are relevant to household affordability, but the precise eligibility and financial benefit for a family caring for an older relative need to be checked. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Best question to ask: Would your household qualify for housing assistance or specific financial support for caring?

ACT New Zealand

Focus: further detail needed on this specific issue

ACT did not provide a response to Grey Power’s questionnaire on older people. That means there is insufficient evidence in this comparison to fairly describe a specific 2026 ACT commitment to family-based eldercare. This is not proof that ACT has no relevant policies. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Best question to ask: What would ACT fund for home-based care, respite and unpaid family carers?

Te Pāti Māori

Specific commitments need verification

Te Pāti Māori did not respond to Grey Power’s questionnaire, so that review cannot establish its specific commitments on home-based aged care or family-carer payments. I would not infer its policies from its general positions on whānau or social services. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Best question to ask: What funding would go directly to Pacific and other families caring for older relatives at home?

What matters most for your household

Here is how I would translate the policy differences into practical questions before voting.

Your priority	Policies worth comparing
Keeping the household budget manageable	Free GP visits, prescription charges, energy assistance, housing payments and eligibility for benefits
Having enough space	Granny flats, accessible homes, social housing and help with home modifications
Caring for older relatives at home	Home support hours, nursing visits, respite care and dementia services
Protecting the income of family carers	Carer payments, flexible work, paid leave and eligibility rules
Getting culturally appropriate care	Pacific health providers, Pacific-led community services and access to support in familiar languages

One important point: the availability of care workers matters as much as the policy promise. A party can promise more funding without guaranteeing that a home-support worker or respite service will actually be available where your family lives.

My assessment

Based on the published proposals, I would put the parties into three broad groups for further investigation, rather than tell you which party to vote for:

• For creating more housing options for generations living together: examine National’s expanded granny-flat policy and the Greens’ accessible housing proposals.
• For reducing direct healthcare costs: compare Labour’s three free GP visits and free prescriptions with the Greens’ broader ambition for free primary healthcare.
• For keeping an older relative at home with less pressure on the family: investigate the Greens’ dementia and community-care commitments, TOP’s ageing-at-home approach, and New Zealand First’s aged-care reform proposals. Ask each for specific commitments on respite and practical help for unpaid carers.

These are differences in emphasis, not a guarantee that one party will deliver a better outcome for every household. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersFixing the Basics and Building the Future: National’s plan for retirementLabour's 2026 Election Policies

For a Pacific multigenerational household, I would give particular weight to support that reaches the family providing the care, not just benefits paid to the older person or services offered through a residential facility.

Before deciding, look for a clear answer to this question from each party: If my older relative lives with us, needs help every day, and we are also raising children, what specific financial and practical support will our household receive?