John Key MP National Party Finance Spokesman

20 August 2005

Migration numbers a worry for all Kiwis

National Party Finance spokesman John Key says policy makers can no longer afford to ignore the acceleration of the brain drain.

"The pace of the brain drain is speeding up under Labour. Just this week Australia announced its intention to attract 20,000 skilled migrants. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess that a good chunk of them will come from us.

Mr Key is referring to warnings from economists published today, who say more people left New Zealand than arrived here as new migrants in July, heralding a further slowdown in house building.

According to the reports, New Zealand has experienced its lowest yearly migration gain in four years. 20,000 people also left for Australia in the past year.

"It's little wonder they're leaving, when Michael Cullen has said we are better off without them. He could not be more wrong."

Economists have warned that if present trends continue, 3000 more people could be leaving than arriving this year.

"Unless we do something to reverse this trend, we're in big trouble.

"National believes the way to do that is with a tax structure that sets the right incentives, rewards enterprise, and allows hard-working New Zealanders to get ahead.

"We must address the infrastructural deficit, reform the RMA, encourage productivity and promote growth.

"If Helen Clark is re-elected even fewer workers will be left to pay for Labour's poorly designed welfare and loans schemes," says Mr Key.

ENDS

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