Cr Ryan Murphy
Councillor for Chandler Ward
Civic Cabinet Chair for Infrastructure
ABOUT RYAN
Across more than a decade in Brisbane City Council, Ryan has held some of the city's most significant portfolios. He was appointed Civic Cabinet Chair for Public and Active Transport by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner in 2019 becoming responsible for the Transport for Brisbane network carrying around 80 million passengers a year, along with Council's bus, ferry and CityCat fleets.
During that time, he oversaw the delivery of Brisbane Metro, the $1.55 billion transformation of the city's public transport, with permanent M2 services commencing in January 2025 and M1 services in June 2025 on a fully electric fleet. Alongside it came Brisbane's New Bus Network, the largest redesign of the bus network in decades, which added around 160,000 extra services a year and lifted patronage by more than 840,000 passengers in its first twelve months, an unprecedented 80% increase.
He also delivered the Rochedale depot, Australia's largest electric bus depot, and drove the Lord Mayor’s Bridges for Brisbane program, including the Breakfast Creek Yowoggera and the Kangaroo Point green bridges. Following Brisbane's pioneering e-scooter trial in 2018, Ryan led the development of Australia's first e-mobility strategy, establishing the regulatory framework, safety technology and dedicated parking hubs that have made Brisbane a global reference point for shared micromobility.
Ryan now serves as Civic Cabinet Chair for Infrastructure in Brisbane City Council's Civic Cabinet, with responsibility for the city's roads, bridges, footpaths, bikeways and major capital works program, including the $3.6Bn Story Bridge Renewal.
Beyond Council, he has served since 2025 as a Board Member of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Transport, bringing his experience in transport delivery to the national conversation on emerging mobility technology.
Ryan's community work extends well beyond the transport portfolio. He chaired headspace Taringa from 2018 to 2021, supporting youth mental health services across Brisbane's inner west, as has served as Patron of a diverse collection of community organisations in Brisbane’s east including cycling, orchids, rifle sports and men’s sheds.
A Prostate Cancer survivor, since 2025 he has served as an Ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and in 2026 he joined the Committee for the Elimination of Prostate Cancer, advocating for earlier detection, better treatment and greater awareness among Australian men.
Ryan was first elected as Doboy Ward in 2012 at age 23, becoming Brisbane’s youngest councillor, defeating former Labor Deputy Mayor John Campbell. He moved to the Chandler Ward in 2019.
Ryan is married to his best friend, Emma Yabsley. They have two children, Elodie and Mackenzie, and a large British Shorthair cat named Keith. He is a member of the LNP.