Gold Coast 2018 chairman Peter Beattie has sought to highlight the benefits of hosting the Commonwealth Games to the local community ©Twitter

Gold Coast 2018 chairman Peter Beattie has sought to highlight the benefits of hosting the Commonwealth Games to the local community after the Organising Committee faced criticism for overlooking Australian talent in its recruitment for high-profile roles.

Beattie claimed Gold Coast 2018 were "generating consistent and significant benefits to the local community", particularly surrounding construction projects.

He revealed contractors based in the Gold Coast region had secured AUS$261 million (£164 million/$200 million/€183 million) of the AUS$606 million (£381 million/$463 million/€426 million) in construction contracts awarded for the venues and Commonwealth Games Village projects.

Beattie also said South East Queensland businesses had been given 93 of the 99 contracts awarded to date for the Commonwealth Games Village.

This included 51 which went directly to Gold Coast companies.

"Gold Coast 2018 is generating consistent and significant benefits to the local community with 214 construction work packages already awarded to Gold Coast businesses and a further 208 work packages awarded to businesses throughout the remainder of South East Queensland," Beattie said during the Queensland Infrastructure Projects Conference today.

"When a major Gold Coast 2018 contract or sponsorship is awarded, benefits flow through to the suppliers, subcontractors and jobseekers in the broader economy and that is something we are extremely proud of, auguring well for a long term legacy for the city and state."

Peter Beattie said South East Queensland businesses had been given 93 of the 99 contracts awarded to date for the Commonwealth Games Village ©Gold Coast 2018
Peter Beattie said South East Queensland businesses had been given 93 of the 99 contracts awarded to date for the Commonwealth Games Village ©Gold Coast 2018

Beattie said 10,000 workers had played a role in the building of the venues due to be used for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which run from April 4 to 15.

Approximately 1,500 employees are currently employed across developments related to Gold Coast 2018, he added.

It comes after legendary ceremony producer Ric Birch blasted the Organising Committee for not employing enough locals.

Birch, who coordinated the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, as well as at the 1992 and 2000 Olympics in Barcelona and Sydney, described the hiring policies of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) as "crazy" and "second tier" when speaking to The Australian.

The newspaper had revealed that six of the seven staff the Organising Committee had recruited as top press operational officers were from overseas.

Olympics creative director Birch was among three Australian bid groups who were overlooked for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies duties in December.

American company Jack Morton Worldwide were eventually awarded the contract.