MINISTERS urgently need to set a population target to help it tackle issues including the housing shortage.
New chairman Philip Le Cornu believes that a government target will be ‘fundamental’ in making decisions in areas such as housing, which he said was already causing ‘significant issues’ for Islanders.
Mr Le Cornu’s predecessor, Michael Van Neste, who left his post earlier this month, was critical of the government, who he felt had failed to give proper priority to the issue.
Making his comments in a submission to the Migration and Population Review Panel, Mr Le Cornu said: ‘I would expect the Council of Ministers to set a policy, be that net-zero, or population stability, which needs to be defined, and to then use better data to amend or reinforce policy decisions as appropriate. We can’t wait for the data to set the policy.’
The Chief Minister has said net migration will need to hit zero to achieve the ‘stable and sustainable’ population outlined in the government’s recently released Common Population Policy document. Speaking during a Scrutiny hearing this week, Senator John Le Fondré said this would have to be achieved eventually, but that it would be a matter for future ministers to address.
Mr Le Cornu said: ‘I accept that the data needs to improve but we can’t let that stand in the way or be an excuse for not setting a target. A policy without a target is not really a policy.’
He added that not having a population target within the policy will result in decisions being delayed.
‘In the area of housing, specifically, it is accepted that on any modelling, even net-zero, the demand for housing will increase. Any delay to the building of more affordable housing, both to buy and to rent, will exacerbate an issue which is already causing significant issues for countless Islanders,’ he said.
‘If there is no delay then the impact should be, as stated, a focus on education, skills and learning to ensure that Islanders are equipped to do the jobs that local businesses are going to need, and grow our talent pipeline for the future. We will then be able to reduce reliance on our migrant workforce by maximising the contribution of the people who are already here. We will also focus on how we are going to house our population, provide them with adequate healthcare, and how we are going to pay for this as well as for an ageing population,’ he added.
Mr Le Cornu said that a ‘joined-up approach’ within government was ‘essential’ to the success of the implementation of the policy.
‘This will require some over-arching policies, population being one, which inform and guide decision-making by the Council of Ministers. There are always going to be competing priorities, particularly in an Island with limited resources, but that makes a joined-up approach even more important,’ he said.
