Election update - Deputy Mayor chosen ...

... in Brisbane not Toowoomba.

Excerpt from Courier Mail:

Graham Quirk Brisbane's new deputy mayor

20 March 2008

Liberal councillor Graham Quirk is Brisbane's new deputy mayor after winning a vote at Civic Cabinet today.

Cr Quirk, who was previously the council's Transport Committee chair, was chosen today at a meeting of Civic Cabinet. he is also chair of the Infrastructure Committee and councillor responsible for ibnternational relations and multiculutral affairs.

He won the deputy mayoralty 10-7 over councillor Jane Prentice.

Another councillor who had been expected to stand for the deputy's job, Margaret de Wit, decided not to contest the position.

The vote for the deputy mayor's position follows Mayor Campbell Newman's re-election and the Liberals winning a majority in council. Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said Cr de Wit pulled out of the vote after she was told the position of chair of the council was available.

"I would have been happy with any of the three in the position of deputy mayor but I stress today we can only have one person and the council room has chosen Cr Quirk," Mr Newman said.

"I want to make it clear that there are three senior members of my council today- Cr Quirk, Cr Prentice and Cr de Wit."

Cr Prentice said she was excited to take up her new role in public and "active" transport and economic development and said the new deputy mayor had her complete support.

To participate in the ballot, councillors must have won their electorates by at least 100 votes.

Mr Newman congratulated the new civic cabinet but warned they needed to deliver.

"There is 12 months for the people behind me to really show what they can do and deliver. If they don't then i'll be having a cabinet reshuffle."

In the close fight for Central Ward, Cr Newman said Labor candidate Cr David Hinchcliffe was ahead of Liberal candidate Vicki Howard by 16 votes with 1400 votes still to be counted.

"There are 700 postals and 700 absentee votes still to come and if the trend continues Vicki Howard may be the next councillor for Central Ward.

"But I'm not counting my chickens yet."

Other Civic Cabinet positions are:

Jane Prentice - Public and Active Transport/Economic Development

Norm Wyndham - Environment, Parks and Sustainability

Geraldine Knapp - Families and Community Services

Amanda Cooper - Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment

Adrian Schrinner - Finance and Administration

David McLachlan - Water and City Businesses

Margaret De Wit - Chair of the council and representative on LGAQ Executive

Nicole Johnston - Councillor assisting the Lord Mayor

Fiona King - Councillor on the Lord Mayor's Community Trust

Ian Mackenzie - Party room secretary

Krista Adams - Party room Whip

See - Brisbane's Deputy Mayor chosen.