▁Am id ▁the ▁controvers y ▁and ▁evidence ▁at ▁an ▁In qu iry ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Be att ie ▁government , ▁the ▁health ▁minister ▁Gordon ▁N utt all ▁res igned ▁his ▁port folio , ▁the ▁Spe aker , ▁Ray ▁H oll is , ▁res igned ▁after ▁controvers y ▁associated ▁with ▁his ▁use ▁of ▁Parliament ary ▁exp end iture , ▁and ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Premier ▁and ▁Tre as urer , ▁Terry ▁Mack en ro th , ▁retired , ▁forcing ▁by - e lections ▁in ▁the ▁safe ▁Labor ▁seats ▁of ▁Red cl iffe ▁and ▁Ch ats worth ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁August . ▁Labor ▁suffered ▁major ▁sw ings ▁against ▁it ▁and ▁both ▁seats ▁were ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party , ▁the ▁first ▁serious ▁elect oral ▁set back ▁for ▁Be att ie ▁since ▁becoming ▁Premier . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁the ▁Premier ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Bob ▁Car r ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Be att ie ▁became ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁state ▁Premier ▁among ▁his ▁contempor aries . ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁state ▁election ▁Be att ie ▁showed ▁his ▁br ill iance ▁as ▁a ▁campaign er ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁election ▁convin cing ly ▁in ▁a ▁third ▁lands lide , ▁with ▁a ▁slight ▁swing ▁towards ▁the ▁A LP ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁its ▁primary ▁vote , ▁and ▁two ▁party ▁preferred ▁result . ▁The ▁Government ▁even ▁won ▁back ▁the ▁two ▁seats ▁of ▁Red cl iffe ▁and ▁Ch ats worth ▁it ▁had ▁lost ▁in