Speirs scotches fresh rumours of the Liberal Party courting his candidacy
An anonymous email has thrown the rumour mill into overdrive, claiming key Liberal Party figures are courting disgraced former South Australian Opposition Leader David Speirs. Read Speirs’ response.
Former South Australian Opposition Leader David Speirs, who was convicted for supplying cocaine to two people earlier this year, has been drawn back into the rumour mill today by an anonymous email and was forced to again address whether or not he would take a punt at his former seat of Black.
Some of the state’s journalists this morning received an email from the SA Parli Whisperer, the same anonymous tipster who attempted to spoil what it claimed was a pre-election housing policy for the Liberals in October.
The latest email claimed South Australian Liberal Party President Leah Blyth and state Liberal Party Director Alex Hyde had been “speaking with David Speirs to finalise arrangements” for the seat of Black.
Speirs was the former member for Black before he quit in August 2024, claiming he “just had a gutful” of leadership speculation and did not have the energy to keep fighting.
In September that year, News Corp published a video purportedly showing him snorting cocaine, which he claimed was a “deepfake”. He resigned from parliament after he was arrested in October.
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Speirs was later fined $9000 and handed 37.5 hours of community service after being convicted for supplying cocaine to two people.
But since August this year, rumours have swirled around the disgraced former Opposition Leader about whether or not he would take another run at the seat of Black.
Through all of the rumours, Speirs maintained his position that he was “not ruling anything out”.
But this latest tip from SA Parli Whisperer claimed an announcement from Speirs was “set to drop shortly”.
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Written as if the author were a Liberal Party faithful, the email said “we have deliberately held back on confirming our own candidate [for Black] until we knew precisely what Speirs intended to do and what he was willing to negotiate”.
The email claimed the Liberal Party would pick City of Marion councillor Jana Mates for Black: “Jana had put her hand up during the 2024 Black by-election before Vincent intervened and pushed for Amanda Wilson. Jana is capable, lives locally, understands the seat, and is genuinely [sic] a good quality candidate”.
“But here’s the truth, she will not be resourced properly. The party believes we cannot finish first or second, so the strategy is to run a minimal campaign and effectively clear the path for Speirs.”
Speirs was clear in his response to InDaily when asked if he had spoken to Hyde or Blythe about running for Black.
“Not for the Liberal party obviously, but not as an independent either,” he said.
“So no, I haven’t had those discussions. I truly haven’t.”
Asked if he would run for Black as an independent, Speirs again reiterated he was “not ruling anything out but I’m focused on advocacy around the algal bloom and other environmental issues”.
Earlier this month, Speirs released his own 29-page algal bloom recovery plan titled “Ideas for Recovery”, with a first step including plans to introduce legislation in 2026 for an Office of Marine and Coastal Recovery.
Speirs said his own 10-year plan came after discussion with experts and was built on work undertaken when he was the state’s environment minister from 2018 to 2022.
InDaily approached Hyde for comment but he declined.
