QLD:Qld parliament waits on Nuttall report

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2011
QLD:Qld parliament waits on Nuttall report

EDS: Reissuing, fixing Judy Spence's name in 4th par

By Jessica Marszalek

BRISBANE, April 6 AAP - Queensland MPs will wait until a committee's report to decide
whether corrupt former minister Gordon Nuttall will face the bar of parliament for his
actions.

Nuttall is serving 12 years' jail for perjury and receiving secret commissions from
several businessmen.

The Integrity, Ethics and Parliamentary Committee has recommended Nuttall be called
before the bar of parliament and explain why he should not be fined $72,000 for failing
to disclose the payments he was convicted of receiving.

Leader of the House Judy Spence on Wednesday told the parliament that since that recommendation,
Premier Anna Bligh had referred further payments between Nuttall and another business
man to the committee.

Ms Spence said it would be best to wait until the committee reported on the latest
referral so both cases could be acted on at the same time.

"I can assure members that the government would like this issue to be resolved as soon
as possible," she said.

Independent MP Rob Messenger had raised the matter in parliament on Tuesday, tabling
a letter from Nuttall that said the former minister was "ready, willing and able to be
granted the opportunity to be heard".

Mr Messenger said he visited Nuttall in jail on Monday and he was willing to appear
before parliament at the next sitting week, starting May 10.

The independent Burnett MP has previously said Nuttall has information about widespread
government corruption.

The government has not previously called Nuttall to face parliament because of legal
advice that said such a move could prejudice court proceedings against him and others
like businessman Harold Shand.

Shand was sentenced to 15 months' jail on Friday for making a corrupt payment to Nuttall.

AAP jmm/dep/tnf/nb

KEYWORD: NUTTALL (REISSUING)

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