As member of the National Party and former local member many believed his appointment was another 'job for the boys'.

In an attempt to set the record straight, Mr Turner told The Great Lakes Advocate, his appointment was by a proclamation of the NSW Governor.

"I was approached by the public service (of NSW) not the minister," Mr Turner said.

Brushing aside the gossip Mr Turner believes he would never be able to convince everyone of the truth.

His career in local politics extends back to 1980 with his election to Greater Cessnock City Council initially as a councillor before becoming a deputy mayor.

But Mr Turner's commitment to working for his community stretches further back to childhood and Sundays spent planting and rejuvenating trees.

"Dad would buy trees in bulk from the nursery and we kids would spend our Sundays planting them in local parks," Mr Turner said.

"From then I had it in my mind to commit to public life."

His father, a popular and tireless working councillor on the Cessnock council, was killed in a vehicle accident not long after Mr Turner left high school.

"Dad also instilled into us the importance of being involved in our community."

In the late 1980s Mr Turner was elected to the NSW Parliament and appointed chairman of the Local Government Advisory Committee to the Minister for Local Government.

His commitment to local government continued into the 1990s when the government introduced the Local Government Act.

"I was chair of the Parliamentary Legislation Committee which reviewed and introduced the current act," he said.

He also served as Shadow Minister of Local Government. "I bring a fair bit of experience and knowledge to the position, and I have a great knowledge of the people and the area."

During his term as a shadow minister, Mr Turner says he had a good working relationship with councils throughout the state, and refutes that he was critical of local governments.

"I had a marvellous rapport with both the councillors and general managers; I have always had a good cordial relationship with council."

Until the next council elections in September 2017, Mr Turner will sit in place of the three former mayors and 25 councillors.

However, former councillors from Taree, Great Lakes and Gloucester will have the opportunity to assist Mr Turner on the Local Representative Council, a structure which is expected to be finalised within the next three months.

"They can bring matters of concern to the administrator."

The 11 appointed committee members would meet both jointly and separately to discuss issues relating to their area.

Mr Turner is keen to see a unified council.

Answering the critics who claim his role as independent chairperson on a community consultative committee for mining projects is a conflict of interest, Mr Turner said his role as a chairperson is to mediate and advise the committee in an independent manner.