The Queensland government is pursuing disgraced former Labor minister Gordon Nuttall's superannuation because it is "what Queenslanders expect".
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Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the government launched legal action to recoup taxpayer contributions to the 63-year-old, who was found guilty of corruption, having been found in 2009 to have received money from businessmen whose interests he then championed while in government.
Related charges in other court cases saw Nuttall sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined $82,000 for contempt of Parliament.
He was released on parole last year and has been living quietly in the Wide Bay region. His fine to parliament was paid off, following the sale of his assets.
Homes belonging to Nuttall and his family had previously been seized by the state under proceeds of crime legislation.
But the state did nothing about the taxpayer contributions to Nuttall's superannuation, estimated to be between $800,000 and $1.2 million, raised over his 14 years spent in Parliament.
Both Labor and the LNP have pointed the finger at each other over the oversight, with both admitting it was "complicated".
Former treasurer Tim Nicholls, who now serves as Opposition Leader, said while in government the LNP had sought legal advice over the matter, but had not received it before losing the 2015 election.
"It was Labor who supported, promoted and protected Gordon Nuttall when he was an MP and it was Labor who had failed to take any action after Gordon Nuttall had been convicted, before the government changed," he said, of the Bligh government.
"This is a matter before the courts, Queensland taxpayers certainly shouldn't be contributing to his retirement, but it is before the court."
Mr Pitt said the government was pursing the matter because it was what he believed taxpayers wanted, but also pointed to the coming court case as a reason to not talk about it further.
"What Queenslanders expect is this matter is followed through," he said.
"We have had numerous opportunities as a state to follow through with this issue.
"Those opportunities haven't been taken up.
"So this is what I think Queenslanders expect the state government to do.
"I can confirm the Crown Law has served the papers to the public trustee representing Mr Nuttall and of course this matter is now before the Supreme Court and we are very limited in what we can say from now on."
The matter is next expected to be heard on August 4.
