# Rural resident outside farming

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 · Voter situations · S17

I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited.

[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 90: Healthcare

I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties have specific plans for healthcare access in smaller towns and rural communities?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/02b496ed-8b5f-436f-a0e1-22c6c26e20ee.md)

### Question 91: Jobs and unemployment

I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would parties do to create or retain jobs in small towns beyond farming?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/cba9dd43-a3ce-4b54-865c-3c05e01044f1.md)

### Question 92: Fuel and energy

I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What would parties do about fuel costs for people who have few public transport alternatives?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/09a85bca-080a-42c6-81d7-17a9b7cffe5e.md)

### Question 93: Infrastructure and local services

I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on roads, broadband and local infrastructure outside major cities?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/7075a420-3cab-4967-9eba-46f32a4a2f85.md)

### Question 94: Education and childcare

I work in a small town rather than farming. My family drives long distances for services, and local jobs and healthcare are limited. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about retaining schools, teachers and learning support in smaller communities?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/b801a869-e962-4f43-b2d8-c379db518132.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 | 19 | 20 |
| ACT | 19 | 20 |
| NZ First | 18 | 20 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 9 | 20 |
| TOP | 5 | 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 4 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Healthcare | TOP | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 4 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 4 | 4 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 3 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 3 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jobs and unemployment | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fuel and energy | National | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel and energy | Labour | 4 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Fuel and energy | Greens | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | ACT | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | Te Pāti Māori | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | TOP | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Infrastructure and local services | National | 4 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 2 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Labour | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Greens | 4 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | ACT | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| Infrastructure and local services | NZ First | 4 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Infrastructure and local services | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education and childcare | National | 4 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 4 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |

## How the main answer changed

The rural-health answer kept broadly similar comparisons of GP costs, staffing, Māori-led services and long-term planning. It distinguished an advocacy group’s requests from whether parties had adopted them.

A request from a health organisation is different from a funded party commitment or a guarantee of a local appointment.

Gemini: “### **The Opportunity Party (TOP)**”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5/questions/02b496ed-8b5f-436f-a0e1-22c6c26e20ee.md) · Answer ID: ed514475-5207-4df9-bd18-29c735e23fc8

Gemini: “*Note: Specific party commitments vary”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/02b496ed-8b5f-436f-a0e1-22c6c26e20ee.md) · Answer ID: fcd10acc-a269-471c-b9d7-6e5efa47a9f0

## 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 |
| --- | --- |
| labour.org.nz | 5 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| nzfirst.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| businesscentral.org.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| htrhn.org.nz | 1 |
| localmatters.co.nz | 1 |
| maoriparty.org.nz | 1 |
| mbie.govt.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| policy.nz | 3 |
| whichparty.nz | 3 |
| kiwicoaches.co.nz | 2 |
| bdo.nz | 1 |
| farmersweekly.co.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| nzmj.org.nz | 1 |
| nzvotecheck.com | 1 |
| principalstoday.co.nz | 1 |
| s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| policy.nz | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| ruralnewsgroup.co.nz | 2 |
| waateanews.com | 2 |
| bonded.co.nz | 1 |
| education.govt.nz | 1 |
| facebook.com | 1 |
| farmersweekly.co.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| kiwicoaches.co.nz | 3 |
| rnz.co.nz | 3 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| ruralnewsgroup.co.nz | 2 |
| youtube.com | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |

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.

[Previous: Farming household weighing costs and environmental rules](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/voters/s16)

[Next: Eligible overseas voter considering returning](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/voters/s18)