Government & Opposition row over their housing track records

A row over the GSD and GSLP-Liberals' respective track records on housing continues days after the Government announced plans for 2,300 affordable homes at the Westside reclamation.

The Opposition has accused the Government of intentionally massaging the affordable housing figures by omitting mention of the rental homes also created by the GSD.

The party says people want the Government to deliver low-cost housing instead of engaging in “playground politics”.

However, the Government says it is "remarkable" for the Opposition to try to present rental housing as a GSD strength.

Number Six says it was the GSD that sold Government rental homes to their occupants - knowingly depleting the housing stock it had inherited.

The GSD says the GSLP-Liberals have fundamentally failed to address the core point about the GSLP "delivery" of housing policy.

It says promises made in 2025, about keys being delivered at the Westside reclamation in early 2028, have been broken.

The party goes on to say that Bob Peliza Mews was announced 11 years ago, adding that phase 1 purchasers are still waiting, while there's no end in sight yet for those waiting for phase 2.

It says it's the same issue with Chatham Views. which has taken almost a decade for delivery.

The GSD says it's not credible for the Government to say it will build 2,300 homes in two years, which is more than it has built over a 15-year period. 

Shadow Housing Minister Damon Bossino says the Government has failed to mention that almost 500 rental flats were delivered at Mid Harbours Estate by the GSD, calling this a cynical and convenient omission intended to distort the real picture.

However, the Government says the Opposition's record on rental housing is worse than its record on affordable housing.

It says every home the GSD sold could never again be allocated to a family on the housing list, a young couple starting out, or anyone who could not afford to buy.

It says when the GSLP-Liberals took office, they honoured existing commitments to sales that had not yet been completed, but agreed that beyond that, no further post-war Government housing stock would be sold.

Number Six says had the GSLP-Liberals continued the GSD policy after 2011, the number of Government rental homes sold could have run into the thousands. 

On affordable homes, the Government says the figures it's published are a matter of record: 4,184 already delivered by GSLP administrations, against 801 by the GSD.

It says neither statement so far by the GSD has said whether it supports the creation of 2,300 more homes in the Westside reclamation.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said, "The GSD sold the family silver. We are building the future."

And in a further statement Friday evening, the GSD says the GSLP continues to try to distract from its broken promises on housing.

Shadow Minister for Housing Damon Bossino says it's an undeniable fact that the last rental estate was built by the GSD.

Opposition Leader Keith Azopardi says the GSD cannot allow the Government to manipulate the narrative on the basis of incorrect numbers. He says the proper comparative figures for low-cost housing are therefore 1,300 under the GSD and 1,742 under the GSLP — according to them — over four terms.

Mr Azopardi also points out that the record shows post-war flats were still being sold to sitting tenants in 2020, adding that it’s hard to believe these were still commitments of the GSD administration.

The Party says the Government simply can't be believed.