▁from ▁politics . ▁His ▁res ignation ▁as ▁Premier ▁officially ▁took ▁effect ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁ret irement , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁state ▁premier ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁Be att ie ▁had ▁gro omed ▁his ▁deput y ▁Anna ▁Bl igh ▁to ▁be ▁his ▁successor ▁for ▁som etime ▁and ▁the ▁Labor ▁c au cus ▁elected ▁Anna ▁Bl igh ▁as ▁its ▁leader ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁September . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Anna ▁Bl igh ▁led ▁her ▁party ▁to ▁a ▁state ▁election ▁victory , ▁thereby ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁Australian ▁female ▁to ▁be ▁popular ly ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁premier . ▁ ▁He ▁officially ▁stood ▁down ▁as ▁the ▁Member ▁for ▁Br is b ane ▁Central ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Be att ie ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁Queensland ' s ▁Trade ▁Commission er ▁to ▁North ▁and ▁South ▁America ▁based ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁by ▁Anna ▁Bl igh ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Be att ie ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁ret iring ▁from ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁Queensland ' s ▁Los ▁Angeles - based ▁trade ▁and ▁invest ment ▁commission er . ▁to ▁take ▁up ▁an ▁appointment ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁accepted ▁a ▁position ▁with ▁C lem son ▁University ▁in ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁On