OCTOBER 15, 2018: The push for funding for Mackay Ring Road Stage 2 continued today, with a question put to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure,Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack, during Question Time in Parliament.The Minister has just announced the release of principles to help prioritise investments under the Government's $3.5 billion Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) initiative to ensure funding is directed at improving road reliability, and better connect communities.$1.5 billion of ROSI funding will be invested in key northern Australian roads, delivering game-changing productivity and efficiency, and supporting the connectedness of communities in the north.I am pushing the case for Mackay Ring Road Stage 2 to be funded under the Roads of Strategic Importance Program.It definitely fits the criteria of providing a direct economic boost by improving links between regional communities.Mackay Ring Road Stage 2 will provide a strategic connection between the port and the Bowen Basin and Galilee Basin mining regions and prime agricultural regions to the west.Funding under the package will be available over 10 years from 2018−19. More information is available at: http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/key_projects/initiatives/roads_strategic_importance.aspx