A former City of Perth employee, who allegedly changed his name twice to avoid detection, will be extradited from Canberra to Western Australia on bribery and corruption charges.

Brett Edward Peters was arrested at a brothel in the Canberra suburb of Fyshwick on Thursday, where police believed he had been working.

Peters also allegedly had a sex worker in the car with him at the time.

This morning the ACT Magistrates Court heard Peters was an employee with the City of Perth who assigned contracts for public works at the time of the offences in 2012.

In November last year Peters was charged with bribery, corruption, providing false testimony and disclosing restricted matters.

The court previously heard that the fraud amounted to $350,000 and Peters personally received $25,000.

He was summonsed to face the WA Magistrates Court on April 15 but failed to appear.

Peters' defence lawyer argued that he had ben awaiting eye surgery in the ACT at the time and letters had been sent to the court to explain his absence.

But prosecutors argued the court had not heard from Peters in time and he made no efforts to contact them about a new time to appear.

Peters 'changed name to avoid detection'

Peters is also alleged to have changed his name twice in the past 10 years, from his birth name of Brett Edward Wright, to Brett Edward Kenny in 2006 and finally Brett Edward Peters earlier this year.

WA Special Investigator Ben Smith testified during phone intercepts between Peters and his brother Peter Kelly, Peters told his brother he intended to change his name to avoid detection by authorities.

When questioned by his brother why he had chosen Peters as his new surname, given it was his brother's first name, Peters allegedly replied "because it will be confusing".

The court also heard that when Peters travelled across the ACT border into New South Wales to change his name, he also transferred his car into his stepson's name, but continued to drive the car himself in Canberra.

Special Investigator Smith told the court that in recorded phone conversations with his brother, Peters told him that he would change his name if he was summonsed to face court in WA.

He told the court Peters proceeded to do so less than a month after he was due to face WA court.

Peters' lawyer argued that rather than be extradited in custody, Peters should be granted bail to appear in court in WA tomorrow.

But the prosecution argued that Peters was a flight risk, with family all over Australia and a wife with ties to China.

Bail was denied and Peters is being returned to Perth tonight to face the WA Magistrates Court tomorrow.