Turnour was born on 7 April 1966 in Darwin, Northern Territory.^[1] He is the third of four children born to Joan (née Pearce) and John Turnour; his mother was a Ten Pound Pom. He grew up on his parents' mixed farming property at Coomalie Creek.^[2]

Turnour boarded at Brisbane Grammar School.^[2] He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Bachelor of Economics from the University of Queensland.^[1] Prior to entering parliament he worked for Queensland's Department of Primary Industries for 20 years and also as an agricultural consultant. He managed Operation Farm Clear, a program assisting farmers in recovery from Cyclone Larry.^[2]

Turnour won Leichhardt at the 2007 election on a swing of 14 percent, the largest in the country.^[3] It was actually his second bid for the seat; he challenged Liberal incumbent Warren Entsch in 2004 and was heavily defeated. Entsch retired in 2007. He held Leichhardt on a seemingly safe majority of 10 percent, but Turnour rode a large Labor wave to take the seat. He lost to Entsch in 2010.^[4]

He currently manages a large-scale project for the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, helping farmers recover after Cyclone Larry and has worked for Senator Jan McLucas in the past.^[5]

Jim Turnour is on the committee of Northern Beaches Landcare and the Trinity Inlet Catchment Management Association. He is also a member of SPEED (Southern Parents Empowering Early Development), Cairns and District Chinese Association, Cairns Yacht Club, Cairns and Far North Environment Centre and is a guest presenter on Cairns Community Radio.

Federal Committee Service edit

House of Representatives Standing:^[6]

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs from 19.2.08;
• Economics from 19.2.08.

Joint Standing:^[6]

• National Capital and External Territories from 18.2.08.

Turnour lives in Smithfield with his wife Tiffany, whom he met teaching children to sail at the Cairns Yacht Club, and daughter Zoe.^{[citation needed]}