Peter Beattie’s advice to Annastacia Palaszczuk on finding a successor

Former premier Peter Beattie says Annastacia Palaszczuk must groom a successor, saying “government should always be about what’s good for the people and the nation”, but her apparent inaction has been defended.

Education Minister Grace Grace has defended Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s apparent lack of succession planning with regards to her leadership, saying “no one shows their cards while in office”.

The former general secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions also said she believed “any member of our Cabinet could stand up and be the next Premier” – but would not be drawn on who she would back.

Her comments come after former Premier Peter Beattie penned a scathing opinion piece for The Courier-Mail to mark his 70th birthday today, in which he said “government should always be about what’s good for the people and the nation, not the leader”.

The former Labor leader said he had no concerns regarding Ms Palaszczuk being set to eclipse his tenure as Premier in May 2024, saying “records are meant to be broken” and when she does, “she will have my warm congratulations”

But Mr Beattie said he also believed “how long you serve as Premier is the wrong question”.

“I served longer than Wayne Goss but he was a better Premier,” he said.

“It is not the time you serve that matters but what you do with that time that is important. Performance and results means more than time served.

Former premier Peter Beatting at his Sydney home earlier this year. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian

“I retired at a time of my own choosing because I believe leaders should implement their policy agenda, groom a successor and then hand over the baton.

“Government should always be about what’s good for the people and the nation not the leader.”

Asked who she believed should take over from Ms Palaszczuk were she to step aside as leader of the party, Ms Grace said “I have my views, but I’m not going to share them”.

“I think that’s up to the caucus, it’s up to the Premier, it’s up to the people of Queensland,” she said.

“To be honest with you, I think any member of our Cabinet could stand up and be the next Premier.

“So to suggest somehow we don’t have the talent – we absolutely blitz it when it comes to talent in the Cabinet, as compared to the shadow cabinet that I sit across in Parliament when Parliament sits.”

Ms Grace also wished Mr Beattie a “very happy 70th birthday”, noting she took over his electorate when he retired.

“I think Peter had some nice words to say,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk has vowed to run again and, were she to win, a fourth term would ultimately see her become Queensland’s second longest-serving Premier behind only Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

Mr Beattie famously spent several years grooming his deputy and eventual successor Anna Bligh, who became the state’s first female leader in 2007 following Mr Beattie’s retirement after nine years as Premier.

The former Premier also slammed the rise of social media and its affect, saying it “had made “politics ugly, vicious and extremely difficult for longevity at the top”.

Annastacia Palaszczuk and Peter Beattie in the lead-up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

“I am so pleased I retired before social media became the destructive force it is. It has allowed the ugly hollowness of politics into the open totally unfettered,” Mr Beattie said.

“Political leaders with their own social media teams could potentially remain in office indefinitely because of the reduced scrutiny.

“This is not good for the health of our democracy. The end never justifies the means.”

Full of praise for federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers and new ministers Anika Wells and Murray Watt, Mr Beattie said Queensland had become a “powerhouse” in the federal government.

“All these ministers are young Queenslanders who have a big future and Queensland’s interests at heart,” he said.

“They are smart and thoughtful, something often missing in politics today.”