ton , ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁in ▁North ▁Queensland , ▁and ▁attended ▁A ther ton ▁State ▁High ▁School ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁both ▁D ux ▁and ▁School ▁Captain . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Br is b ane ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Queensland ▁after ▁winning ▁a ▁Commonwealth ▁Sch olar ship , ▁gradu ating ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁and ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁La ws ▁degree . ▁He ▁was ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Student ▁Club ▁at ▁St ▁John ' s ▁College . ▁He ▁completed ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁from ▁Queensland ▁University ▁of ▁Technology , ▁and ▁then ▁began ▁pract ising ▁as ▁a ▁lawyer . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁his ▁election ▁to ▁parliament , ▁Be att ie ▁was ▁a ▁solic itor ▁of ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁of ▁Queensland ▁and ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Railway ▁Station ▁Offic ers ' ▁Union . ▁ ▁Pre - par liament ary ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁opposition ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁and ▁had ▁just ▁suffered ▁the ▁worst ▁defeat ▁in ▁its ▁history ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁dominant ▁National ▁Party ▁Premier , ▁Joh ▁B jel ke - P eters en . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁federal ▁election , ▁Be att ie ▁was ▁the ▁Labor ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁federal ▁Division ▁of ▁Ryan ▁and ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁the ▁Liberal ▁inc umb ent ▁John ▁Moore , ▁but ▁ach ieving ▁a ▁ 3 ▁percent ▁two ▁party ▁preferred ▁swing ▁in ▁the ▁process . ▁He ▁only ▁nominated ▁for ▁Ryan ▁to ▁give ▁him