Two Brisbane City Councillors are calling time on their stint in City Hall.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Labor Councillors Victoria Newton and Kim Flesser have announced they will not be contesting the 2016 council election.
Cr Newton, who has served the Deagon Ward since 2000 said "it was time".
"It is always a tough decision to move on from something like this," she said.
"Being a local councillor is an extraordinary privilege, and not one that many people get to do, and it has been an absolute honour to represent this community."
She said Labor's decision to open up preselections for the upcoming Brisbane City Council election motivated her to decide her own future.
"I thought it was time to retire from this position, not retire completely, I am only 45, hopefully I've got some good years left in me," she laughed.
Northgate Councillor Kim Flesser, who has sat on council since 1997, has also decided to step aside at the next election.
Cr Flesser faced tough competition in his ward in the 2012 election but said no one event influenced his decision to move on.
"I think it is just time for me to go," he said.
"It has been 18 wonderful years I have enjoyed every minute of it, but you have to make decisions on when it is time to go and step aside, and I think it would be good to get some fresh ideas in there, and represent my good constituents of the Northgate ward.
"I've got a couple of grandkids now and my family have put up with me not being home a lot, especially on weeknights.
"Eighteen years is a long time in a 7-day-a-week job, so I think it's time I moved aside and got a 9-5 job."
Council Opposition Leader Milton Dick, who is also not contesting the next BCC election having been pre-selected to be Labor's candidate for the federal seat of Oxley, said both had been "tireless advocates" for their communities.
"With almost 35 years of combined service between them both have been respected figures in the Northside of Brisbane," he said.
"Both have worked tirelessly to deliver millions of dollars' worth of infrastructure and services for local residents.
"I am grateful to have served alongside them for the past seven years and am proud to call them friends
"Since 2004 both have formed an important part of holding the Newman and Quirk LNP Administration to account, and I thank them for their dedication and hard work".
Labor is hoping to duplicate its success at the state level at next year's council elections, by following the same path, pre-selecting early to establish candidates within their communities for grassroots campaigning.
