"Superficially tinkering yet again with the immigration points system will not change the real reasons New Zealand is becoming less attractive to highly skilled migrants," National's Immigration Spokesperson Marie Hasler said today.

"Indiscriminately increasing the number of immigrants to New Zealand shows Prime Minister Helen Clark is panicking over the accelerating exodus from this country under her Government.

"Miss Clark should look to the real reasons for the departures, rather than simply lowering the immigrant qualifications and playing around even further with the points system.

"If the Prime Minister is serious about attracting highly skilled migrants she must acknowledge that higher taxes, backward economic policies, the return to Central Government control and the arbitrary increase in the power of unelected unions - plus her dictatorial personal style - all present a frightening image of a country lurching towards instability and a lower standard of living.

"Who wants to come to a country offering that?" Ms Hasler asked.

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