The Liberal National's increased their representation at the 2016 Brisbane City Council election to 19 wards, albeit with a smaller margin in the mayoral race with Quirk winning 59.3% of the TPP vote.

Quirk, an alumnus of St James College, entered Brisbane City Council when elected as Councillor for Rochedale Ward in 1985, aged 27.

Quirk was elected as Deputy Liberal Leader to Campbell Newman and was appointed to the role of Chairman of Transport and Major Projects (later known as Roads, TransApex and Traffic).

In this role he administered one-third of the council's total budget expenditure for the implementation of TransApex, the road network and traffic management.

[citation needed] In 2008 the LNP gained a majority of councillors and Quirk took on the roles of Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee.