Former Victorian Liberal leader Robert Doyle has officially put his hand up for Melbourne's lord mayoral robes, but says party politics will not come into play during his run.
Mr Doyle led the Liberal opposition from 2002 to 2006, losing the 2002 election and resigning as leader months before the 2006 election, which the Liberals again lost.
Announcing his decision to run for Melbourne's lord mayor on Monday under an "Activate Melbourne" ticket, Mr Doyle said it was time for the city's leader to start "doing things".
"I'm not a paper shuffler, I'm not a ribbon cutter, I'm there because I can do things," Mr Doyle told reporters.
"We all know what the problems are in Melbourne. We all love Melbourne, we are proud of it, but we know it can be better.
"I want to be elected as lord mayor so I can go to work from day one, so I can do things, so I can fix those problems to make us the best city that we can be."
Mr Doyle, who is Royal Melbourne Hospital chairman, said working with a Labor government would not be a problem.
"I don't think this is party political ... that is not the point of me running. If I thought this was a political run, I wouldn't do it," he said.
"This for me is about the city of Melbourne, so there are times when you have to work with the state government, there are times when you have to stand up to them, hopefully more the former than the latter, but I'm not a doormat, I'm a leader."
He said he hasn't been formally endorsed by the Liberal Party, but hoped he would have the support of current Opposition Leader, Ted Baillieu, who replaced him as state party leader.
He will remain a Liberal party member, but insisted that had nothing to do with being in the city's top job.
Mr Doyle and running mate Susan Riley, who was Mr So's deputy until the last election, refused to be drawn on what they stand for, instead saying a list of policies will be gradually unveiled over the next few weeks.
"I can tell you one thing - no more summits. No more talking. It's time for doing, it's time to activate Melbourne."
The key problems facing Melbourne are security in the city, traffic congestion, graffiti and cigarette butts, he said.
Formal nominations for the position close on Tuesday.
Other candidates already announced are Labor Party members Peter McMullin and Will Fowles, the Greens' Adam Bandt, Melbourne councillor Catherine Ng, Melbourne deputy mayor Gary Singer, pollster Gary Morgan and anarchist Joseph Toscano.
The election will be held under a postal vote late next month.
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