Nuttall to be sentenced for corruption

Former Queensland government minister Gordon Nuttall is due to be sentenced on
Thursday after being found guilty of corruption.
Nuttall has spent his first night behind bars after a Brisbane District Court jury
found him guilty on Wednesday on 36 counts of receiving secret commissions.
The 56-year-old former Labor MP shook his head in disbelief and steadied himself
against the dock as the jury pronounced him guilty 36 times as each of the charges
were read out.
The jury found he corruptly received 35 payments totalling $300,000 from mining
magnate Ken Talbot between 2002 and 2005 and one $60,000 payment on April 12, 2002,
from businessman Harold Shand.
As Nuttall was led from the dock he paused for one last embrace with his pregnant
daughter Lisa, who sobbed uncontrollably in her father's arms.
Nuttall repeatedly maintained his innocence, electing to give evidence in his own
trial saying he had done nothing wrong by accepting the money in what he called "a
private arrangement between personal friends".
Premier Anna Bligh and former premier Peter Beattie both told the court Nuttall
never declared a conflict of interest in cabinet meetings when matters relating to
Mr Talbot and Mr Shand were being discussed.
Mr Beattie, who appointed Nuttall a minister in 2001, told AAP: "He betrayed my
trust and there can be no excuses".
Ms Bligh declined to comment.
Nuttall is due to return to court on Thursday morning for sentencing.