To throw a stone from a glass house

She was quite an interesting article by the municipal councillor of the Left-Green Movement in the last issue of the Fjardarpostur. "Let's Level the Playing Field" was the title of the article, which was written in commemoration of Labour Day, 1st May.

On many points, we agree, but there has been a rather free or outright incorrect treatment of facts in the discussion regarding the proposals from the Minister of Social Affairs and Housing. The article states verbatim: "There is no sign of a housing bill from the Minister of Welfare in the two years she has been working on the issue." This is not about a single proposal but several proposals. Everyone interested in treating the matter correctly should be aware of this. Let's go over the issue.

Having viable options for housing forms is important to all of us. Some choose to own property, others prefer to rent, and still others opt for a middle ground, living in housing cooperatives. If this genuine choice is to be available, it is essential to respond and present proposals that promote improvements in this important field. These issues matter greatly to a large group of individuals in the country.

Addressing the Issue
In September 2013, Eygló Harðardóttir, the Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, appointed a task force on the future organisation of housing issues. The task force was tasked with presenting proposals for future direction in housing matters. It was also assigned to propose a new housing loan system, including measures to ensure an active rental market and effective social solutions for those who need them.

The task force delivered extensive proposals to the Minister of Social Affairs and Housing in May 2014, and now, nearly a year later, four proposals have emerged based on the task force's suggestions. Two of them have gone through the first reading in parliament and have now been referred to the welfare committee for consideration.

They concern rental laws and housing cooperatives. Two proposals are still undergoing cost assessment at the Ministry of Finance, and it is crucial that they advance as soon as possible. Those proposals discuss foundation grants for the construction of rental housing and increased housing benefits for tenants.

Not Built on Sand
When the Minister of Social Affairs and Housing presented the proposals for rental laws and housing cooperatives, there was criticism from the MP of the Left-Green Movement, Kristján L. Möller. He criticised how much time has been spent writing the proposals in question.

Of course, the proposals could have been brought into parliament sooner. But to be fair, it must be noted that there was extensive consultation within the Ministry of Welfare when drafting the proposals. The reason is also that we have learned from experience how much it matters to be careful in these significant matters. We also hope that the MP has learned from experience how important it is not to build up unrealistic proposals that are based on sand.

Facts on the Table
Due to the criticism, it is right to recall some facts to keep things on the table. MPs from the Left-Green Movement were ministers in the Ministry of Social Affairs, later the Ministry of Welfare, from 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and up to the elections in 2013. During this period, three committees were appointed to work on proposals for a better housing system.

No proposals emerged based on the work of these committees; there were not even drafts for proposals concerning the subject. For an MP from the Left-Green Movement to criticise the current government for delays in these matters comes from a harsh perspective. The Left-Green Movement had almost 7 years to respond to these issues but nothing happened. Gunnar Axel is one of the authors of the article "Let's Level the Playing Field" and the representative of the Left-Green Movement in Hafnarfjörður.

He was also for a time an assistant to Guðbjartur Hannesson, the Minister of Welfare, in the last term. He should therefore be fully informed about these issues and should have the ability to discuss them with integrity and professionalism, rather than making insignificant attempts to throw dust in people’s eyes. The Left-Green Movement is thus throwing stones from a glass house in this matter. Does this apply to other issues as well?

Elsa Lára Arnardóttir and Ágúst Bjarni Garðarsson The article was published in www.visir.is on 5th May 2015.