Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk to step down
Brisbane's lord mayor Graham Quirk is stepping down from the job next month, eight years to the day he took on the role.
Cr Quirk announced on Friday he would not contest the city council election in 2020, saying he could no longer commit to another four-year term.
"There are significant demands on one’s family in these roles and upon reflection, I have decided that now is the time to go,” he said.
Cr Quirk will resign as lord mayor on April 7.
A successor would be announced on Sunday following a party-room meeting.
For the past eight years, Cr Quirk had also served as the chairman of the Council of Mayors for South East Queensland.
"I’m extremely proud of what my team has achieved and confident that a vibrant and renewed LNP council team will have new and exciting plans to keep Brisbane heading in the right direction," he said.
Cr Quirk's mayoral predecessor Campbell Newman, who was Brisbane's lord mayor from 2004 to 2011, wrote on Twitter: "Thank you Graham Quirk for your service to Brisbane both as Lord Mayor and as Ward Councillor. You have made a major contribution to our community and can be proud of your legacy. My best wishes to you, Anne and your girls for the future."
However, Deagon Labor councillor Jared Cassidy, was not as appreciative: "Graham Quirk splurged millions of ratepayer [dollars] on gratuitous advertising of himself over the past year and is now tapping out? They play with your hard earned [money] like it's monopoly. Time for a broom through City Hall!"
Cr Quirk has been on the Brisbane City Council for 34 years.
He was elected as the councillor for Rochedale Ward in 1985 at the age of 27.
By 2004 he had taken on the roles of deputy Liberal leader and Transport and Major Projects chairman.
After the 2008 election, he was elected deputy mayor and Infrastructure Committee chairman.
He became Brisbane's 16th lord mayor on April 7, 2011.
During Cr Quirk's time in the top job, Brisbane’s first free inner-city river ferry service, CityHopper, was launched, Brisbane's bus fleet became modernised and fully accessible, the River City was named the country's most sustainable city in 2014 and 2016, the Howard Smith Wharves parkland development was completed and the Mt Coot-tha Zipline was approved.
He leaves as several key projects keep the council occupied, including the Brisbane Metro, SEQ City Deals and the potential south-east Queensland SEQ Olympic bid.
Erstwhile rival Rod Harding, who is running for the second time as a Labor lord mayoral candidate, said: "I want to thank Graham Quirk for his service to Brisbane. I wish him and his family the very best for the future."