What Tom said (where it actually is better), but I also meant politically (and a sort-of sarcastic 'better').
An elected Government can promise to spend a bunch of money making people happy right away but by delaying the payment not have it affect the debt/deficit before their next election.
You can get more cynical too and say that by delaying the actual payment (and the actual work) a Government gets to keep something alive as an election issue. But I don't think that really applies in this case.
An elected Government can promise to spend a bunch of money making people happy right away but by delaying the payment not have it affect the debt/deficit before their next election.
You can get more cynical too and say that by delaying the actual payment (and the actual work) a Government gets to keep something alive as an election issue. But I don't think that really applies in this case.