ACT Leader, Hon Richard Prebble, welcomed the admission by Prime Minster Helen Clark that New Zealand does need skilled migrants.

Helen Clark told an e-commerce meeting in Auckland today that New Zealand must attract more highly skilled immigrants.

“ACT challenges the Government to do a survey of what would attract people of talent to New Zealand. Of course the government won’t, because to do so would show that increasing income tax is the worse way to attract people to New Zealand.

“The government doesn’t even need to do the survey because the latest International Monetary Fund country report on New Zealand informed the government that increasing income tax was not only making New Zealand a less attractive destination, it is also a reason New Zealanders of talent are leaving in droves.

“ACT was first to identify that a record number of skilled New Zealanders left the country in the last year. As the Prime Minster has rightly pointed out it is vital for New Zealand’s future that we attract skilled immigrants to New Zealand.

“Holding public relations e-commerce summits at the taxpayers expense is unlikely to attract anyone to New Zealand.

“ACT invites Helen Clark to follow through her own logic and revisit the tax issue,’ said Hon Richard Prebble.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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