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 since 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 and "now is the time for generation change".

Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk will step down on April 7. Credit: Photo: Glenn Hunt

The lord mayor will resign on April 7. A successor was due to be announced on Sunday following a party-room meeting.

The 62-year-old cited family as the main reason for his resignation.

"I've had to weigh up what my energy levels are now and would be if I contested the next election," he told ABC Radio Brisbane.

"It [being lord mayor] is relentless, no doubt, it’s a vocation, not occupation, it’s seven days and you’ve just got to keep backing up with long days.

"I think also it's an accumulation, there have been some big things happen, particularly on the Council of Mayors front - the City Deal, People Mass Movement study, Olympic feasibility study, I feel now is the right time to hand the reins over and pass the baton."

For the past eight years, Cr Quirk had also served as the chairman of the Council of Mayors for South East Queensland.

Cr Quirk made a point of saying his deputy Adrian Schrinner had been "strong and loyal" when discussing who would take over the top job and the associated ongoing key projects.

"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 said his plans for life after politics included ticking off the list of jobs around the house his wife had made as well as pursuing his interests in thoroughbred horse breeding and auctioneering.

In a light reference to the Brisbane Broncos' last-gasp loss to St George Illawarra the night before his announcement, he added: "It was the last two seconds of the Broncos' game last night that was the catalyst.”

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.

"There's always things to be done, no matter when you leave, there is always going to be a list of jobs to follow. I think taking the fully funded Brisbane Metro forward is one of those things," he said.

"But I have felt a little frustration in recent times in terms of the speed of state government movement on approvals for that."

Cr Quirk said his greatest political challenge came last year when a 10-year IT contract, to replace 13 existing systems, was delayed by 18 months, with a potential cost blow-out of up to $60 million.

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."