Peter Beattie Gives Evidence
Peter Beattie Gives Evidence – Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie has told a Brisbane court that none of the portfolios administered by former cabinet minister Gordon Nuttall would have impacted on the activities of businessman Harold Shand.
Mr Beattie was giving evidence by videolink from Los Angeles in the corruption trial of Mr Shand, who the crown alleges paid Mr Nuttall $60,000 to ensure he maintained a “friend in court” who could influence the Beattie government ministry.
On the opening day yesterday, crown prosecutor Todd Fuller said lawyer and executive Mr Shand, 58, authorised the payment to the industrial relations minister as “insurance, if you like, for the future” of mining services company Capregin, of which he was a minority shareholder.
A who’s who of Queensland Labor, past and present, will be called for evidence, including Premier Anna Bligh later today.
Mr Beattie stressed to the court that there was little opportunity for ministers in his government to influence matters outside their portfolio.
Peter Beattie Gives Evidence
Tags: Beattie Government, brisbane, Businessman, Cabinet Minister, Corruption Trial, Crown Prosecutor, Gordon Nuttall, Government Ministry, Industrial Relations Minister, Lawyer, Mining Services, Minority Shareholder, Mr Beattie, Opening Day, Portfolios, Premier Peter Beattie, Queensland Labor, Shand, Todd Fuller, Videolink
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