Graham Philp, the former Mayor of Victor Harbor is running as an independent candidate for the Legislative Council in the state election.

The election is due to be held on March 19 next year.

Mr Philp was the Mayor of Victor Harbor for eight years but lost the 2018 election to Dr Moira Jenkins.

The biography on his website https://www.grahamphilp.net/ says he has lived on the Fleurieu Peninsula since 1991 and was a policeman for more than 30 years.

He says he stands for environment, heritage and history and has decided to become an upper house candidate to “find out who is really serious about our environment and heritage”.

He says the decision to build a new Granite Island causeway and not to repair the heritage listed original causeway cost the state more money and wasted much needed funds that could have been used elsewhere.

Mr Philip is currently the Chair of Save Granite Island Penguins and Encounter Celebrations. 

In the past he has opposed drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight and called for a cull of long-nose fur seals to protect the number of little penguins.

Members of the Legislative Council are elected for a term of eight years with half of the 22 seats declared vacant at each election.

Currently the council is made up of eight Liberal party members, eight Labor members, two Greens politicians, two SA Best members, one Advance SA member and one independent.

List of Upper House MPs whose terms are due to expire in 2022:

Nicole Centofanti (Liberal)

John Darley (Advance SA)

John Dawkins (independent ex Liberal)

Dennis Hood (Liberal, ex Family First, ex Australian Conservatives)

Ian Hunter (Labor)

Michelle Lensink (Liberal)

Rob Lucas (Liberal) (retiring)

Kyam Maher (Labor)

Tung Ngo (Labor)

Robert Simms (Greens)

Russell Wortley (Labor)

In the 2018 election the five independent candidates for the Legislative Council won 4602 votes, 0.4% of the total number cast.

Victor Harbor’s own Terry Stephens is not up for re-election next year as his term is not due to finish until 2026.