Peter Beattie has faced criticism since his appointment as chairman of Gold Coast 2018 ©Getty Images

Gold Coast 2018 chairman Peter Beattie has praised his predecessors Nigel Chamier and Mark Stockwell for helping him settle into his new role, despite the criticism surrounding his appointment.

The former Queensland Premier was appointed to replace Chamier on Tuesday (May 17) to oversee the Commonwealth Games. 

Chamier, a businessman from Brisbane, had been appointed in May 2012 by the Liberal National Party (LNP) Government but resigned, according to new Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who represents Labor.

The appointment of 63-year-old Beattie, who served as Queensland Premier between 1998 and 2007, has been criticised by LNP Queensland leader Tim Nicholls.

He claimed it was "taking jobs for the boys to a whole new level".

Shadow Commonwealth Games Minister John-Paul Langbroek, meanwhile, warned the appointment could put in jeopardy the success of the Games. 

“First of all they dumped responsibility for the Commonwealth Games in one of their failed mega portfolios, and then we saw a flawed tender process with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies,” he said.

“Now Annastacia Palaszczuk has stacked the [Gold Coast 2018] Board with none other than her old boss and Premier-come-media-commentator Peter Beattie.

“The Commonwealth Games in 2018 will put the Gold Coast on the international stage and we cannot afford for Labor to bungle it."

Peter Beattie has been backed by former IOC vice-president Kevan Gosper to help make the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast a success ©Getty Images
Peter Beattie has been backed by former IOC vice-president Kevan Gosper to help make the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast a success ©Getty Images

Beattie, though, claimed Chamier had been happy to help him get to grips with the role.

“I had a long chat with Nigel and had a great handover which I am really grateful for,” Beattie told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

Beattie has also spoken to Stockwell, a former swimmer and winner of three Olympic medals at Los Angeles 1984. 

Stockwell had been appointed by Anna Bligh, who succeeded Beattie as Queensland Premier, but was sacked by the LNP Premier Campbell Newman following a row over the Athletes' Village.

Beattie's appointment has received the backing of Australia's former International Olympic Committee vice-president Kevan Gosper, a key figure in the success of the 2000 Olympics and Paralympics in Sydney.

"I think it is a very good selection," Gosper told Fairfax Media.

"I think Peter is a worldly type of person and of course he is an experienced politician.

"He loves this part of the world; the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Queensland."

Gosper claimed that Beattie's knowledge of politics would help make the Commonwealth Games a success.

"One of their [politicians] values is that they know their way around Government," he said.

"They know their way around high levels of business and the bureaucracy."