South Australian MP Tory Bell has announced he will contest the March election as an independent despite facing charges of misappropriating funds in his electorate of Mount Gambier.
Mr Bell resigned from the Liberal Party in August after he was charged with misappropriating more than $2 million in taxpayers' money before he entered parliament.
The alleged offences took place between 2009 and 2013 when the former teacher was running an independent learning centre at Mount Gambier.
Mr Bell has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to clear his name.
He said voters could decide if they wanted him to continue in the SA Parliament.
"I'm not going to back down," Mr Bell said.
"I think I've got a lot more to achieve for our region and I'm going to give the people of Mount Gambier the choice of which candidate that they would like."
Mr Bell appeared in the magistrates court this week, where his bail conditions were altered to let him leave the state without police permission if the trip is less than seven days.
