D'Orazio calls for investigation into CCC, delays report tabling

Disgraced former Police Minister John D'Orazio has called for a royal commission into the Corruption and Crime Commission after details of a corruption inquiry involving the now independent MP were leaked to the media.

Media reports today indicated the CCC's report was critical of Mr D'Orazio's dealings with the target of the investigation, Perth panel beater Pasquale Minniti.

Mr D'Orazio said the leaking of the report was unacceptable considering former minister John Bowler was sacked in May after the CCC revealed he had leaked a parliamentary report to lobbyist Julian Grill.

"That's why I've called for a royal commission, because there's a huge question mark over the CCC, the Member for Ballajura said.

"Two months ago a senior minister was sacked and thrown out of the party because he leaked a parliamentary report.

"Now the CCC has a huge cloud over it for not following process, I'm not saying it is them (that leaked the report).

"Unless you have a full public inquiry with the power to force people to talk, how are you going to get the CCC seen in a good light again."

Meanwhile, the tabling of the CCC report into his alleged contact between police officers and a northern suburbs panel beater has been delayed to allow him to respond.

The report, completed by the Corruption and Crime Commission, was due to be tabled in parliament today after hearings were held in August last year.

Mr D'Orazio, who appeared at a witness at the inquiry, was sent the embargoed section of the report relating to him at Parliament House by courier in April, along with a letter asking for any submissions, CCC executive director Mike Silverstone said today.

"Late yesterday afternoon the Commission sent Mr D'Orazio a copy of the section of the report relating to him as there had been changes to the draft report the Commission believed he received in April," he said.

But Mr D'Orazio said he never received the document, and was only given the three pages that related to him yesterday.

He said he has been denied procedural fairness by not being allowed to comment on the report earlier.

The CCC said the tabling of the report will be delayed to allow Mr D'Orazio time to make a submission.

Mr D'Orazio was stood down by Premier Alan Carpenter in May 2006 after it became known the justice and police minister had been driving without a licence for two months after it was suspended for the non-payment of speeding fines.

He said at the time that he was unaware his licence had been suspended because he did not receive notification of the fact.

In August last year, Mr D'Orazio was forced to resign from the ALP when a CCC probe revealed Mr Minniti called Mr D'Orazio in May 2006, telling him he could "help" him with his political problems.

Mr D'Orazio today said he was confident his name would be cleared when the CCC report was finally released.

The full text of an announcement from the CCC is pasted below

In the interests of procedural fairness the Corruption and Crime Commission has delayed its scheduled tabling in the Parliament of a report on its investigation into inappropriate associations between Western Australia Police officers and northern suburbs panel beater, Pasquale Minniti.

Public hearings into the matter, in which the former Minister for Police; Justice; Emergency Services and Community Safety, Mr John D'Orazio, was a witness, were held in August last year.

The Commission's Executive Director, Mr Mike Silverstone, said the report would be tabled after a submission had been received from Mr D'Orazio.

"In April, the Commission couriered the embargoed section of the draft report that related to Mr D'Orazio to him at Parliament House that included a letter asking for any submissions.

"Late yesterday afternoon the Commission sent Mr D'Orazio a copy of the section of the report relating to him as there had been changes to the draft report the Commission believed he received in April.

"However, Mr D'Orazio said he had never received the April letter and on receiving the section of the report relating to him yesterday, indicated he wanted to make representations.

"In the interests of procedural fairness, Mr D'Orazio will be allowed a reasonable period to make a submission to the Commission.

"The facts in that submission will then be considered by the Commission in the report that will be tabled," Mr Silverstone said.