# Unpaid carer juggling work and care

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 · Voter situations · S15

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6#situations)

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

## What this voter asked

### Question 78: Retirement and aged care

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on home-based care, aged care and respite services?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/bec8b0b6-237b-4732-9533-092e706f3d2c.md)

### Question 79: Poverty and welfare

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What financial recognition or support do parties propose for unpaid family carers?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/a006cfe2-0b1d-4f00-bb9a-c564d0adbd02.md)

### Question 80: Healthcare

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about coordinating healthcare and support for families caring for someone at home?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/2bade0ae-9471-4d8f-af4b-2221355ddebc.md)

### Question 81: Jobs and unemployment

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties address flexible work and leave for people with substantial caring responsibilities?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/61520967-3119-44b0-803e-6e7b453f3f8a.md)

### Question 82: Mental health and addiction

I work part time and provide unpaid care for an older family member who needs help every day. Getting reliable support is difficult. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about mental health and practical support for family carers?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/78b52f52-f89f-48a7-9891-8f6e7a59f371.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 20 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 20 | 20 |
| Labour | 20 | 20 |
| Greens | 20 | 20 |
| ACT | 19 | 20 |
| NZ First | 16 | 20 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 12 | 20 |
| TOP | 9 | 20 |

## 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 26 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Retirement and aged care | National | 4 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Retirement and aged care | Labour | 4 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Retirement and aged care | Greens | 4 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Retirement and aged care | ACT | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Retirement and aged care | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Retirement and aged care | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Retirement and aged care | TOP | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poverty and welfare | National | 4 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 2 |
| Poverty and welfare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| Poverty and welfare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Poverty and welfare | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Poverty and welfare | TOP | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | TOP | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 4 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 4 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Jobs and unemployment | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mental health and addiction | National | 4 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Mental health and addiction | Labour | 4 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Mental health and addiction | Greens | 4 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Mental health and addiction | ACT | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Mental health and addiction | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Mental health and addiction | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mental health and addiction | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The carer answer gave National, Labour, NZ First and ACT separate explanations of care, replacing the earlier grouping of several parties. The Opportunity Party returned in a discussion of longer-term planning.

There was still no established respite allocation, carer payment or guarantee of local staff.

Gemini: “National, ACT, and New Zealand First (Coalition / Centre-Right Perspectives)”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/bec8b0b6-237b-4732-9533-092e706f3d2c.md) · Answer ID: 5bace195-ae76-4008-baed-2116b24fc46b

Gemini: “* **Approach to Care:** ACT favours direct, individualised funding mechanisms (giving individuals cash-like control over their budgets rather than channeling funds solely through traditional state-run provider monopolies).”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/bec8b0b6-237b-4732-9533-092e706f3d2c.md) · Answer ID: 1cbc361b-192a-48e8-beec-d3476262a16f

## 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 | 5 |
| labour.org.nz | 5 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| ncwnz.org.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| greypowermag.co.nz | 2 |
| health.govt.nz | 2 |
| maoriparty.org.nz | 2 |
| nzfirst.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| drnz.co.nz | 4 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 3 |
| apex.org.nz | 2 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 1 |
| changingminds.org.nz | 1 |
| greypowermag.co.nz | 1 |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| mentalhealth.org.nz | 1 |
| msd.govt.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 3 |
| apex.org.nz | 2 |
| cab.org.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| aca.org.nz | 1 |
| greypowermag.co.nz | 1 |
| greypowertga-wbop.org.nz | 1 |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 4 |
| healthnz.govt.nz | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| rnz.co.nz | 4 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| mycare.co.nz | 3 |
| researchgate.net | 3 |
| apex.org.nz | 2 |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 2 |

Sources count once per answer. Citations were recorded in 20 of this voter’s 20 answers. Visible links are counted separately. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

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