The Mobile Black Spot Program is a federal government funded initiative in partnership with state and territory governments, Telstra and Vodafone, aimed to improve mobile phone access across areas of regional and remote Australia.

Following the 2013 bush fires in and around the Coonabarabran area, which destroyed more than 50 homes, a parliamentary inquiry found many residents missed out on emergency services telephone warnings "due to a pre-existing lack of mobile phone coverage in the affected areas."

While there are many areas that needed the funding, and its fantastic for each one that did, including the 10 in the Parkes electorate, it would be difficult for the residents in the Coonabarabran area to accept there were almost 500 cases approved for funding, but not theirs.

While we all get our arms up about the NBN and which areas will receive it when, there is a bigger issue at hand of people being unable to use mobile phones, which in times of an emergency is scary to think about.

Perhaps some of the funding that was allocated to the NBN, by the previous and current government, could be first spent on eliminating mobile phone black spots.

There will be a second round of sites receiving funding that should be announced by the end of the year, and we, like the people in Coonabarabran, hope their area is included.