Former West Australian Premier Brian Burke is facing a new corruption trial after the Court of Appeal in Perth reversed on Wednesday his acquittal by the Supreme Court.

Included as defendants in the new trial are Burke's business partner and former Labor Cabinet member Julian Grill and the former chief of staff to the fisheries minister, Nathan Hondros.

In the Supreme Court ruling in May 2010, Justice Michael Murray found that the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence to prove charges against the three men. Burke and Grill allegedly got Hondros's services to disclose official documents or to slyly place changes in a pearl hatchery policy to benefit a client.

The Western Australia government appealed the dismissal of the corruption charges.

Burke said he was disappointed with the Court of Appeal ruling, which he described as unfair because it was based on narrow legal grounds.

"The charge itself is just not substantial. ... The cost is horrendous and the burden on the family becomes intolerable, so it's a very distressing day for us," the former premier, whose legal bills exceeded $1.25 million, told The Australian.

Grill's legal expenses have topped $500,000 over six years.

The corruption case was based on an investigation by the state's Corruption and Crime Commission which tapped phones to listen to the conversations of the three men.

"I maintain our innocence and I've got faith in the judicial system and I confidently expect we'll be acquitted next time around," Grill told The Sydney Morning Herald.

The three were allowed bail and are scheduled to reappear in court in October.