The incumbent, Adrian Schrinner, a long-time Liberal councillor who took the top job last year after the retirement of Graham Quirk, used today’s joint interview to promote his 15 years’ experience in City Hall and his work on infrastructure, public transport and the budget.

“I’ve done those jobs and the best kind of training is on the job training,” Schrinner told host Rebecca Levingston.

“It is not something I believe you can do without experience.”

Both candidates talked up the need to protect green space, with Schrinner saying Brisbane needed responsible development and infrastructure, and rival Patrick Condren complaining that the outer suburbs had been neglected by Australia’s biggest council.

When Condren, the journalist turned Labor candidate, challenged Schrinner over his use of a $100,000 allowance, the Lord Mayor insisted it was part of his salary and something introduced by a former Labor administration. Schrinner would not say how he spent it, but later suggested that if he lost the election he have to work out how to pay his mortgage and support a young family.

Condren also questioned Schrinner about the council’s promotional expenses, prompting his opponent to reply: “The things that you have been focussing on are a fraction of the council budget – [the total council budget] is $3.1 billion”.

Schrinner said the Liberal National Party council had only ever delivered budget surpluses. When Condren asked if there had ever been a deficit, Schrinner replied: “You might be the first one to bring that in Patrick”.

At one point, Levingston played music to drown out the candidates’ bickering, before asking them questions about their home lives and likes.

Condren named Caddyshack his favourite movie, lamb his favourite food, and Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen his favourite karaoke song, but couldn’t remember the last book he read.

Schrinner, who had time to think of his answers, offered up Top Gun as the best flick, Thai food as his preferred meal, but passed on his favourite song. He said the last book he read was the Bible.

The candidates sought to present themselves as friendly rivals, even sharing a child-like interest in a proposed zipline from the Queen’s Wharf casino development across the Brisbane River to South Bank. They agreed it was a better site than Mount Coot-tha.

“We don’t hate each other, we’re two human beings,” Condren said at one point, before joking: “He’s on the wrong side of politics but that’s his choice.”

In a previous ABC Radio interview as candidate, Condren could not say how much rates were – his answers were “turned into a fundraising meme” by the LNP, he said – but has since promised $100 extra in savings for residents who pay on time over the year. If elected, he would divert his allowance to charity.

Schrinner is pushing ahead with five proposed green bridges and the development of Victoria Park.

Meanwhile, former state LNP Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg was all-but certain to be elected mayor of Goondiwindi after being the only person to nominate by the Electoral Commission of Queensland deadline.