Long-term infrastructure planning should be encouraged, despite budget deficits says Dr Les Coleman.

“Every time governments talk about going into deficit, people seem to get hysterical. But it’s the only way we can afford to build infrastructure that lasts and we need to recognise the major social, economic and environmental problems our infrastructure gaps are causing," he says.

Dr Coleman says our cities are becoming less liveable because of infrastructure inadequacies and there is no doubt the economy would get stronger and environmental impacts would reduce if roads, airports and railways become more efficient.

Dr Coleman is a Senior Lecturer in Finance in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce. A full staff profile can be found at http://www.finance.unimel...