Gordon Nuttall, the disgraced former Queensland Labor minister, has died at the age of 71 following a prolonged battle with kidney cancer. Nuttall, who was once a prominent figure in the Beattie government, was serving a 14-year sentence for perjury and corruption charges stemming from his time in office. His death marks the end of a tumultuous life that saw him rise to political prominence only to fall from grace amid scandal.
Nuttall's political career began in 1992 when he entered state parliament as the member for the south-east Queensland seat of Sandgate. He quickly ascended through the ranks, taking on key roles including the industrial relations ministry and later the health ministry. In 2004, former Premier Peter Beattie praised Nuttall's capabilities, stating, "He demonstrated tenacity, commitment, determination, fairness and ability to get results." However, it was during his tenure as health minister that his career began to unravel.
The turning point came amid the Jayant Patel scandal, where Nuttall was accused of lying to a parliamentary committee regarding his knowledge of issues at the Bundaberg Base Hospital. Following this revelation, he stepped down from his ministerial role, and the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) recommended charges against him. Although these charges did not materialize immediately, the damage to his reputation was irreversible. Nuttall himself reflected on this dark period in his career, saying in 2005, "It is this poison chalice I suppose for me, and now I've paid the ultimate price. My career as a minister in this government is finished. It's a really sad day for me."
In 2009, Nuttall was jailed for seven years after being found guilty of receiving over $500,000 in corrupt payments from two businessmen, which he then facilitated through government contracts. The Court of Appeal later extended his sentence from 12 to 14 years, citing the severity of his actions. He was released in 2015 after serving six years in prison.
His time in incarceration was harsh, as he described the conditions at Wolston Maximum Security Prison in Wacol. "I think the hardest part was dealing with the enormity of the sentence. When I first went in, I just could not see past the horizon; I just thought, 'I'm not going to make it,'" he told the Courier Mail. Nuttall also recounted how he struggled daily, stating, "I honestly didn't think I would make it. It was a day-by-day thing. Every morning I'd wake up and pray to make it through."
In his later years, Nuttall reflected on his tumultuous past and maintained his innocence, asserting, "I am a decent and honest person. I believe I have done nothing wrong." Despite the controversies that surrounded him, he expressed a sense of loss for his former life, saying, "I lost my reputation, I lost my home. I lost everything. Everything."
Following his release, Nuttall spent his final days in the beachside community of Woodgate, near Bundaberg, where he continued to grapple with the consequences of his past. His family, devastated by his passing, issued a statement expressing their desire for him to be remembered peacefully, stating, "Now is the time he should be left to rest in peace."
Peter Beattie, who once championed Nuttall's abilities, condemned his actions in a recent statement, labeling them a "profound betrayal of public trust." Beattie stated, "He betrayed the people of Queensland, his ministerial colleagues, the state government and me," highlighting the deep scars left by Nuttall's actions on the political landscape of Queensland.
Gordon Nuttall is survived by his partner, children, and grandchildren. His life serves as a cautionary tale of the fragility of political careers and the severe repercussions of corruption and dishonesty in public office.
