D'Orazio rejoins Labor

The power brokers of state Labor have backed down in their fight with John D'Orazio, accepting his membership to the party.

In a carefully worded statement, ALP state secretary Bill Johnston told WA Business News the party had accepted Mr D'Orazio's argument that the Noranda branch had admitted him to party membership on February 26.

Mr Johnston said the party had backed down in order to avoid a costly legal battle that threatened to upset the party's preselection process.

Furthermore, Mr Johnston said the party was pleased Mr D'Orazio had indicated that he would seek preselection as Labor's candidate for the new seat of Morley, where it is likely he will run against premier Alan Carpenter's preference in journalist Reece Whitby.

Mr D'Orazio is currently an independent member for Ballajura having left the ALP two years ago when his stellar run as a Labor parliamentarian ended after a series of controversies.

He had been dumped his position as Police Minister after revelations that he had been driving without a licence.

Mr D'Orazio weathered a storm about the non-payment of superannuation to his staff in a small pharmacy practice prior to seeking state office but was later the subject of an inquiry by the Corruption and Crime Commission which found his dealings with Bayswater panelbeater Pasquale Minniti amounted to inappropriate behaviour.

His move to rejoin the party followed a report by Corruption and Crime Commission Parliamentary Inspector Malcolm McCusker who found that the CCC should not have made the finding that it did.