Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says 2020 council election will be his last

BRISBANE Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has promised an agenda of fresh and new ideas as he prepares for his final tilt for the city’s top job.

BRISBANE Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has ruled out another run in 2024.

Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Mail following his announcement last week that he would nominate for LNP preselection for the 2020 election, Cr Quirk promised an agenda of fresh and new ideas as he prepares for his final tilt for the city’s top job.

He said he still had a passion for the job, was in good health and was very enthusiastic about Brisbane’s future.

“I’ve got the drive and the passion, the commitment and the experience combined to make sure that we continue to take Brisbane forward,” he said.

“I think it’s fair to say that the next term will be my last term.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has announced he plans to retire in 2024 if elected for another term. Picture: Annette Dew

“I think that will be the right time to move on, to refresh and renew at that stage.”

It is understood he plans to remain in the job during the full four-year term if he is re-elected in 2020. Cr Quirk said his experience made him best equipped to drive ahead several projects that were in the works, including Brisbane Metro, the Oxley Creek transformation and Brisbane Live. He also promised to unveil a fresh agenda for the city during the election campaign.

“We already have started working away on plans ... but they will be about making sure that we stick to some key principles that we’ve set,” he said.

“And they are making sure that we continue to tackle traffic congestion, building a strong local economy, leisure and lifestyle opportunities, and growing jobs in our city.”