Embattled Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi has cried during a hearing to determine her penalty for repeatedly breaching the Local Government Act.

Ms Scaffidi was giving evidence at the State Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday when she choked up describing the past few years, including dealing with the case and media attention, as the "worst time of my life".

"It's been a very emotional ride," she said.

"I've come a long way in my understanding of the issues in the last three years and I do apologise and accept that some of my word choices throughout were not ideal," Ms Scaffidi said.

She said it was not her intention to downplay the seriousness of the breaches.

My understanding has continually evolved to today," she said.

Ms Scaffidi was grilled on Tuesday about her written statement provided to the tribunal and comments to the media, including a press release.

Her show of emotion prompted a break in proceedings, but it's not the first time Ms Scaffidi has become emotional during the long-running saga.

The Perth Lord Mayor successfully appealed for 26 out of her original 45 breaches to be dismissed in December. 

Ms Scaffidi will run the State Administrative Tribunal gauntlet once again, this time with a new panel which will decide her fate and whether she will be fined, suspended or disqualified from holding office over the remaining 19 breaches.

A previous hearing into her 45 breaches to the Local Government Act led to the embattled Lord Mayor being disqualified from the City of Perth council for 18 months. 

Ms Scaffidi, however, fought the decision in the Court of Appeal and was successful in having 26 of the breaches dismissed and the penalty set aside. 

The remaining 19 breaches will be reviewed by the State Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine a new penalty, which will be handed down at a later date. 

Ms Scaffidi returned to her duties as Lord Mayor in January after standing aside from her role for four months pending the outcome of her appeal. 

The Court of Appeal in December dismissed Ms Scaffidi's breaches for Australian Press Council attendances, visits to sister cities and her attendance at the World Energy Cities Partnership event, agreeing the trips and accommodation did not constitute "a gift" and conferred no financial benefit to the Lord Mayor. 

Among the 19 breaches, Ms Scaffidi will be penalised for failing to disclose a BHP Billiton-funded $US36,000 package to the Beijing Olympics for her and her husband Joe - one of five breaches she admitted. 

- with AAP