Free man Gordon Nuttall now facing a life sentence

Gordon Nuttall has spoken for the first time on how he feared for his life in maximum security alongside with murderers, rapists, drug runners and paedophiles.

Convicted former Beattie government health minister Gordon Nuttall is a free man – with his parole coming to an end last week.

But the 70-year-old man has revealed he is facing a new life sentence – a diagnosis of stage 4 kidney cancer, which he received only six weeks out from the end of his criminal sentence.

Nuttall was sentenced in 2009 to 14 years for taking $300,000 in secret commissions from then mining magnate Ken Talbot and $60,000 from another miner Harold Shand.

Nuttall told the corruption watchdog and the court that the money was a loan to buy houses for his children.

Nuttall’s family was not accused of any wrongdoing.

Gordon Nuttall is now living at Woodgate, south of Bundaberg. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

He is now living in Woodgate Beach, near Bundaberg, with his partner Jane where he is receiving immunotherapy treatment. He remains close to his three children Lisa, Andrew and Kim and 12 grandchildren.

Nuttall opens up about his role in Queensland’s biggest political scandal, and his time in maximum-security prison, in a new podcast that goes to air on Thursday.

Speaking publicly for the first time as a free man, Nuttall admits his actions leading to an eventual 14-year jail sentence were an “error of judgment”, but he insists they were not criminal.

“If I was gonna be crooked, why would I buggerise around with 300 grand?” he says.

Nuttall, now a grandfather, confessed to having some mixed emotions about his sentence and his release.

“Relieved mostly and but also very, very angry that the lynch mob was allowed to get out of control and do what they did,’’ he says.

“But it’s over, 5113 days later and it is just good to be home.”

Gordon Nuttall has revealed he has stage 4 kidney cancer. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Nuttall and his partner Jane ‘celebrated’ at midnight on July 13 when his parole officially ended.

“We had a rum or two and some party pies,” he chuckles before adding, “yeah it was cause for celebration you know, it was important.

“It’s been a long, long journey and a very painful one but it’s over so I’m looking forward to new horizons and to see where we go,’’ he says.

In the short term that involves three-weekly immunotherapy treatments at a private hospital in Bundaberg and regular competition games at the local bowls club a short stroll from his home.

He has been club champion for the past two years.

Gordon Nuttall has been club champ at his local bowls club for the past two years. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Nuttall is feeling optimistic, despite his cancer diagnosis.

“I’ve endeavoured to take it in my stride,’’ he says.

“There are a lot of others worse off than me. I think you’ve just gotta take what life throws at ya. I’m blessed to have the love and support of my three kids as well.

“There are times when I feel like ‘why me?’ but you can’t wallow in that. I just grab every day, every day I get up and put my feet on the ground and go and play my bowls or go for a swim or whatever.”

He reveals the hardest part of his sentence was having to serve more than 5 years in maximum security.

“I really went from the penthouse to the outhouse,’’ he says.

“I was in there with murderers, rapists, drug runners and paedophiles and you’re treated exactly the same as them. It was hard.”

In maximum security Nuttall lived with the constant threat of violence and once feared for his life.

“Another inmate took exception to something I said and was shaping to hit me with a lawn bowl,’’ he says.

Nuttall says he’s paid a heavy price for maintaining his innocence and putting his faith in the legal system.

“The easy option would have been to take the deal that was offered to plead guilty, but I would have had to live with that and I just couldn’t do that,” he said.

“The only wrongdoing I did was an error of judgment.”

Did Ken Talbot ever ask for any favours?

“Never … and none were offered,’’ he says.

Gordon Nuttall – The Man Behind the Rose 7-News podcast – will be hosted by veteran journalist Patrick Condren. The first episode will be released on Thursday

Originally published as Free man Gordon Nuttall now facing a life sentence