Former Tamworth mayor Col Murray quits Infrastructure Australia declaring he 'jumped before I was pushed'

Mr Murray spent 303 days at the head of the independent infrastructure advice organisation, after he was controversially appointed to the job by former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce in November last year.

He resigned at the end of September, he told the Leader on Monday.

"The incoming government were choosing to go in a different direction. I wasn't part of that future plan. I did resign, I didn't get the boot," he said.

"But it was pretty much a case of jump or be pushed."

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Mr Murray wasn't the only board member to leave, with directors Amanda Cooper, Elizabeth Schmidt and Vicki Mayer also reportedly departing the institution. All had connections to the Liberal or Liberal National party.

New England MP Barnaby Joyce said the new Labor government had made a "farce" of the independence of the Commonwealth organisation.

"They say it's independent except if they don't come up with the decisions that the Labor party want, they sack them," he said.

"Or they tell them they're going to sack them, so you'd better resign."

He said he'd tried to bring people from rural communities like Charters Towers and Tamworth - which are typically ignored by the federal body, he said - to change the culture of the organisation.

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The new government had reversed that change, and he said it would pick a board reflecting that urban bias.

"What they've done is they've once more gone back to what they always do, is urbanise the board with Sydney and Melbourne and possibly Brisbane appointees," he said.

"This is very sad because it means once more there's a focus on urban projects, and we become the quaint old people out in the country."

Mr Murray disagreed that the end of his term meant the judgements of the organisation were less independent.

He took up the role as chairman on December 1, 2021 and left on September 30.

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The former veteran councillor said he went into the role with his "eyes wide open, and with a full understanding of what was likely to happen should we have a change of government and wasn't surprised at all when we came to that point".

He now plans to go on a road trip around the country - no longer tied down by the burden of the need to stay in internet range.

Infrastructure minister Catherine King declined to comment.

When announcing an independent review into the operation of Infrastructure Australia in July, she said the organisation had been "allowed to drift with partisan board appointments and a lack of clear direction" under the coalition government.

"It's clear a review has been necessary and that's why Labor committed to one before the election," she said.

"I thank the board members, some of whom have agreed to step down, for their understanding and contribution as the Government reviews and refreshes Infrastructure Australia."

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