▁the ▁recent ▁by ▁elections . ▁Co al ition ▁O pp osition ▁Le ader ▁Lawrence ▁Spring borg ▁stepped ▁down . ▁Before ▁the ▁election ▁Liberal ▁Le ader ▁Bob ▁Qu inn ▁was ▁forced ▁by ▁his ▁party ▁colle agues ▁to ▁step ▁down ▁a ▁fort night ▁before ▁pol ling ▁day . ▁The ▁campaign ▁of ▁Qu inn ' s ▁replacement ▁Dr ▁Bruce ▁F leg g ▁was ▁character ized ▁by ▁in ex per ience ▁and ▁inde cis iveness ▁and ▁lack ed ▁an ▁organ ised , ▁professional ▁approach . ▁Premier ▁Be att ie ▁therefore ▁was ▁never ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁the ▁opposition ▁and ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁secure ▁a ▁fourth ▁consecutive ▁term ▁in ▁office ▁with ▁another ▁lands lide ▁victory . ▁This ▁result ▁puts ▁Be att ie ▁in ▁the ▁real m ▁of ▁icon ic ▁political ▁figures . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁state ▁Labor ▁leader ▁since ▁Ne ville ▁W ran , ▁NS W ▁Labor ▁Premier ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁and ▁is ▁Queensland ' s ▁fourth ▁longest ▁serving ▁Premier ▁after ▁Labor ' s ▁William ▁F organ ▁Smith ▁( 1 9 3 2 – 1 9 4 2 ), ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ' s ▁Frank ▁Nick lin ▁( 1 9 5 7 – 1 9 6 8 ) ▁and ▁National ▁Party ▁Premier ▁Sir ▁Joh ▁B jel ke - P eters en ▁( 1 9 6 8 – 1 9 8 7 ). ▁ ▁Ret irement ▁Be att ie ▁announced ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁ret ire