Mr Coulton was sworn in at Government House on Thursday and in a statement said he was "deeply honoured".

"With the experience of the past nine months within these portfolios, I am keen to continue to deliver for regional Australians and look forward to being able to do so within a more focused scope," he said.

"I am well aware of the issues at hand and am driven to address the barriers to regional, rural and remote Australians fulfilling their potential.

"Ensuring people across the country have access to appropriate health services and telecommunications is integral to meeting this aim.

"Getting more doctors into the bush is vitally important for the future of regional communities and I am pleased to be able to continue to work on the solutions required to address current inequities."

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Mr Coulton said he will ensure the Mobile Black Spot Program roll-out continues because "the bush needs to be connected and there is more to do".

"The importance of the nation's local governments in delivering improvements to their communities cannot be underestimated ... equally, I am pleased to continue to build relationships with state governments and relevant peak organisations including Australian Local Government Association.

"In good times and bad, councils across the country strive to deliver economic and social benefits for their communities; often within challenging budgetary constraints. As a former mayor myself, I understand this challenge and am committed to working with councils to ensure they continue to deliver for their communities.

"I am pleased to also continue my work advocating in Parliament for constituents of the Parkes electorate, as I have done for the past 12 years."