'Strong, stable leadership' as Adrian Schrinner named Brisbane's new lord mayor

Deputy mayor Adrian Schrinner (Chandler) has been selected by the LNP party room as Brisbane's new lord mayor, stepping into the role after lord mayor Graham Quirk announced his retirement on Friday.

Brisbane's new deputy mayor will be Cr Krista Adams (Holland Park), currently chair of the council's finance committee.

New lord mayor Adrian Schrinner and deputy Krista Adams.Credit: Lucy Stone

Joined by the outgoing lord mayor at the announcement on Sunday, councillors Schrinner and Adams emerged after an hour-and-a-half-long party room meeting to determine the makeup of the council's new leadership team.

Cr Quirk described the duo as an experienced pair of hands who also formed a new generation of LNP leadership in the council, but would not comment on whether they were his preferred candidates.

"This is an experienced team that will provide a great deal of stability and ensure that this city continues to be in very good hands," Cr Quirk said.

Thanking his colleagues for their trust in his leadership, Cr Schrinner said his focus for the city he loved was to ensure the Brisbane of tomorrow is better than the Brisbane of today.

Asked about the closeness of the vote in the party room meeting, Cr Schrinner would not comment but said the result was "clear".

"The people of Brisbane deserve stable, responsible leadership, and with this team and with myself, they will keep getting it," Cr Schrinner said.

"But with generational change at City Hall, you can expect a new, exciting agenda.

"It is an agenda that is 100 per cent focused on the future. It is an agenda that is about building and protecting – building the infrastructure of the future, and protecting the things that are great about our city.

"Today, as part of that agenda, I am announcing that we will as a council be embarking on a project to build five new green bridges on the Brisbane River."

The $550 million five new green bridges will provide key links across the city for pedestrian and cycling access, including two new bridges at West End.

"The other thing I will do as lord mayor is to focus the greatest level of investment we've ever seen as a city on our parks and green space," he said.

"Investment in parks and green space is an investment in our lifestyle and liveability."

Cr Adams said she was excited and proud to be voted in as deputy mayor.

"We are going to deliver on a brand new vision and extension of the wonderful Brisbane we have now, to make it even better than it was before," she said.

"I have experience in cabinet, and across a couple of wards as well with changes of boundary.

"I think people know me as somebody who is authentic, works with the community, and works with her team to make sure we make Brisbane the place that is liveable, workable, and obviously a place for more to see and do."

Labor candidate for mayor Rod Harding said the result was "20 LNP councillors picking a caretaker lord mayor" and did not give the people of Brisbane a voice.

Mr Harding said Cr Schrinner already had challenges on his hands with the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade delays and Brisbane Metro still waiting for state approvals.

"Most importantly, he should commit today to not spending one dollar of ratepayers money to promoting himself," Mr Harding said.

Mr Harding said it was good to see a woman taking the important role of deputy mayor.

As Cr Quirk announced his retirement within 12 months of the next local government election in March 2020, the LNP party room selected the new lord mayor without having to go to a byelection.

Cr Schrinner and Cr Adams will be officially sworn in at a special council meeting on April 8.

The council will also require a shakeup to the leadership of its committees, with Cr Adams the current finance committee chair and Cr Schrinner the public and active transport chair.

Those changes are expected in the coming weeks, during the council's autumn recess.