Gordon Nuttall demand `shameless'

GORDON Nuttall was "shameless and disgraceful" in asking wealthy coalminer Jim Gorman for $1 million, a block of land and a house.

FORMER Queensland minister Gordon Nuttall was "shameless and disgraceful" in asking wealthy coalminer Jim Gorman for $1 million, a block of land and a house, a court has heard.

But Mr Gorman, his former business partner Harold Warner Shand and former Queensland premier Peter Beattie should not be blamed for Mr Nuttall's "embarrassing conduct", the Brisbane District Court was told yesterday.

Mr Shand, 58, has pleaded not guilty to corruptly paying Mr Nuttall a $60,000 secret commission in April 2002, when the politician was industrial relations minister in the Beattie government.

Yesterday, Mr Shand's trial neared its finale as prosecution and defence barristers delivered their closing addresses to the 12-member jury.

It has been a blockbuster legal affair, with a who's who of Queensland Labor -- including Mr Beattie, Premier Anna Bligh and former deputy premier Terry Mackenroth -- giving evidence.

Defence barrister Tony Glynn SC, for Mr Shand, said that although Mr Nuttall's "outrageous requests" were "shameful and disgraceful", neither Mr Beattie, who had delivered a public performance worthy of Hollywood, with "great penitence", Mr Gorman nor Mr Shand should be saddled with blame for them.

The court heard Mr Nuttall had approached Mr Gorman, a part-owner of the prosperous Jellinbah coalmine, for money and property at least four times.

But Mr Gorman said he knew nothing of the $60,000 payment that was eventually deposited into Mr Nuttall's bank account on April 12, 2002, from the account of Capregin, of which Mr Shand was a minority shareholder.

Mr Glynn will continue his final address to the jury today.