Adrian Schrinner frontrunner for job of Brisbane Lord Mayor

Brisbane will have a new Lord Mayor within days — and while several councillors are shaping up as contenders for the role, one is considered a frontrunner.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner is the frontrunner for Graham Quirk’s job.

BRISBANE will have a new Lord Mayor within days, with current deputy Adrian Schrinner considered the strong frontrunner.

Cr Schrinner today confirmed he will throw his hat in the ring for the city’s top job, telling The Courier-Mail he will stand as a candidate in Sunday’s LNP party room ballot to determine Brisbane’s next Lord Mayor.

It comes after The Courier-Mail today revealed Graham Quirk would be stepping down from the role.

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Cr Schrinner has served as Cr Quirk’s deputy since 2011, and was most recently the council’s chairman for active and public transport.

Cr Quirk yesterday described Cr Schrinner as a “loyal and a very strong deputy mayor”, but said there may be other contenders for the role.

The new leader will be catapulted into the job at a party room meeting of LNP councillors on Sunday.

Graham Quirk’s decision to resign within 12 months of the next council election, scheduled for March 2020, will spare voters a by-election and gives the council the power to appoint a sitting councillor to the position.

A special meeting of Council will be held on Monday, April 8 — the day after Cr Quirk officially steps down from the job — to swear in the new Lord Mayor.

Cr Krista Adams. Picture: AAP/John Gass

Cr Peter Matic. Picture: Peter Cronin

Cr Schrinner has served as Cr Quirk’s deputy since 2011.

He was first elected to the council for the Chandler Ward in 2005 and has recently been the chairman of Public and Active Transport.

Other senior members Cr Quirk’s Civic Cabinet, Krista Adams and Peter Matic, could also make a move for the top job — or the deputy position if Cr Schrinner is successful.

Cr Quirk on Thursday told The Courier-Mail he expected a fair contest in Sunday’s ballot.

“The Deputy Mayor obviously has been loyal and a very strong deputy mayor, but there may be other contenders,” he said.

“I want the party room to make its own decisions around that.”

Whoever wins will lead the party to next year’s 2020 Council election, where they will square off against Labor’s lord mayoral candidate, Rod Harding.

Cr Quirk said he believed he was leaving behind a “strong and capable” group to lead the city.