The 1985 Brisbane City Council election was held on 30 March 1985 to elect a lord mayor and 26 aldermen to the City of Brisbane. The election was held as part of the statewide local government elections in Queensland, Australia.
The election saw the lord mayoralty re-established as a directly elected position, having been chosen by a vote of the aldermen since 1973, and increased the number of aldermen increased from 21 to 26. This reversed changes made by the former Country Party state government that had targeted the council's Labor administration. The election also saw a significant redistribution of wards to accommodate the additional aldermen, with most of the city's wards being abolished.
The incumbent Labor Party had controlled both the mayoralty and a majority of wards since the 1961 election. The party was led by Lord Mayor Roy Harvey, who sought a ninth consecutive term for the party and a second term as Lord Mayor.
The election resulted in the election of the Liberal Party under Sallyanne Atkinson. The party gaining a majority of wards and more than 50% of the mayoral vote. This was in part helped by the National Party, who had contested the 1982 election, choosing to not contest this election to avoid splitting the conservative vote from the Liberal party.
In the mayoral election, Liberal candidate Sallyanne Atkinson defeated Roy Harvey. As of 2024, Atkinson is the first and only female Lord Mayor of Brisbane.
This was the first and only election contested by the Brisbane Green Party, the predecessor to the Queensland Greens. The party contested the lord mayorship and four wards, but did not have any victories.
Future lord mayor Graham Quirk was elected in Rochedale Ward at this election.
Results Ward summary WardPartyAlderman Margin (%)Bracken Ridge LiberalKeith Murray1.5Breakfast Creek LiberalG. G. Clay6.9Camp Hill LiberalS. R. Jeffreys2.7Carina LaborB. V. Walsh3.4Chermside LiberalL. B. Barnes1.3Coopers Plains LaborJ. R. Wheeler2.4Deagon LaborKen Leese8.2Doboy LaborJohn Campbell11.2Eagle Farm LaborPatricia Vaughan10.8Ekibin LiberalO. L. Olsen7.3Enoggera LaborBrian Mellifont5.7Fairfield LiberalNorman Rose5.2Holland Park LiberalGail Chiconi2.4Inala LaborClive Wells10.8Jamboree LiberalPhil Denman18.7Kalinga LiberalD. A. Turnbull7.7Kianawah LaborDon Randall12.1McDowall LiberalJohn Goss11.1Paddington LaborJoe St Ledger6.0Pullenvale LiberalBob Mills27.2Rochedale LiberalGraham Quirk12.3Runcorn LiberalBob Ward5.1Spring Hill LaborIan Brusasco4.9Taringa LiberalDenver Beanland23.0The Gabba LaborK. O. T. Quinn4.5The Gap LiberalBrian Hallinan11.5
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