David James Speirs (born 15 December 1984) is a Scottish-Australian politician previously serving as Leader of the Opposition in South Australia and Leader of the South Australian Liberal Party from April 2022 until August 2024. He has been a member of the South Australian House of Assembly since the 2014 state election, representing Bright from 2014 to 2018 and Black (the successor to the former) since 2018. Speirs served as the Minister for Environment and Water in the Marshall Ministry between March 2018 and March 2022.[1][2]
David Speirs | |
|---|---|
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| Leader of the Opposition in South Australia | |
| In office 19 April 2022 – 8 August 2024 | |
| Premier | Peter Malinauskas |
| Deputy | John Gardner |
| Preceded by | Peter Malinauskas |
| Succeeded by | Vincent Tarzia |
| Leader of the South Australian Liberal Party | |
| In office 19 April 2022 – 8 August 2024 | |
| Deputy | John Gardner |
| Preceded by | Steven Marshall |
| Minister for Environment and Water | |
| In office 22 March 2018 – 21 March 2022 | |
| Premier | Steven Marshall |
| Preceded by | Ian Hunter (as Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation and as Minister for Water and the River Murray) |
| Succeeded by | Susan Close (as Minister for Climate, Environment and Water) |
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Black | |
| In office 17 March 2018 – 15 October 2024 | |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for Bright | |
| In office 15 March 2014 – 17 March 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Chloë Fox |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David James Speirs 15 December 1984 Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia (SA) |
| Education | Stranraer Academy |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
Speirs resigned the leadership on 8 August 2024, triggering a leadership election. On 5 October he announced he would resign from the SA Parliament after he was charged with drug supply offences.[3][4]
Background and early career
editSpeirs was born in Galloway, Scotland, where he was schooled at Kirkcolm Primary School and Stranraer Academy.[5] He emigrated to Australia with his parents and two younger brothers at the age of 17 in 2002.[6]
In 2008, Speirs graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). He was elected as a councillor and deputy mayor for the Marion City Council, serving between 2010 and 2014. He worked in senior and principal policy development positions within the state Cabinet Office, in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, between 2008 and 2014.[citation needed]
Speirs was a national director of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Australia between 2010 and 2014.[7] In 2012, Speirs received the Community Leadership Award at the Channel 9 Young Achievers Awards.[8]
Parliamentary career
editSpeirs entered the South Australian Parliament in March 2014, defeating Chloë Fox, Labor's Minister for Transport Services.[9]
In October 2014, Speirs was appointed to the Parliament's Economic and Finance Committee[10] following the resignation of Iain Evans. In January 2016 he was elevated to Steven Marshall's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Cabinet Secretary.[11] In January 2017, Speirs ascended to the front bench as Shadow Minister for the Environment.[12]
In March 2018, following the election of the Marshall Government at the South Australian Election, Speirs was sworn in as Minister for Environment and Water.[13]
During his time as Minister, Speirs oversaw the establishment of Green Adelaide[14] and regional landscape boards,[15] significant reduction of water bills[16] and an increase in the land protected as national parks including the creation of Glenthorne National Park[citation needed] in Adelaide's southern suburbs and Australia's biggest national park at the Simpson Desert.[17]
In March 2021, legislation introduced by Speirs meant South Australia became the first state in Australia to ban single-use plastics.[18][failed verification] The first items to be banned were single-use plastic straws, cutlery and drink stirrers with other items such as polystyrene containers phased out in March 2022.[18]
In November 2021, Speirs contested the deputy party leader and Deputy Premier ballot, but lost to Dan van Holst Pellekaan.[19]
After outgoing Premier Steven Marshall resigned as leader of the Liberal Party, Speirs was elected leader on 19 April 2022, becoming South Australia's 44th Opposition Leader.[20]
On 8 August 2024, Speirs stood down as Opposition leader, saying he had had a "gutful" of the job and wanted to give the party the best chance in the next election. He stated he intended to remain in parliament as the member for the electoral district of Black.[21]
Following his resignation from Opposition leadership, Speirs was embroiled in a scandal over a video that appeared to show him using illicit substances.[22] Speirs claimed the video was a deepfake, however, on 5 October 2024 he announced that he would resign from South Australia's parliament, revealing that his house had been raided and he had been arrested over the video.[3][4]
Political views
editSpeirs has been described as socially conservative. He voted against abortion and euthanasia reforms, but has said he is "not going to die on ideological mountains."[6]
Speirs supports nuclear energy, a position that has been backed by South Australian uranium miners.[23] He opposes the state and federal Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposals, but supports constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.[24][25][26]
Personal life
editSpeirs was previously married.[6] In his maiden speech, he called himself a "believing practising Christian" and pledged to conduct himself "within the moral constraints of the Christian faith".[5] He faced criticism in 2021 when he spoke at a church and encouraged those in attendance to join the Liberal Party,[27] but later said the issue had been taken out of context.[28]
Speirs is an active lifesaver at the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club and has a strong interest in health and fitness.[29] He is a founding member of the Hallett Cove-based environmental group, Friends of the Lower Field River;[30] a land care group established by Hallett Cove residents in 2006 to protect and care for the lower portion of the Field River and its environs.[30]
Speirs has completed the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and has completed all three levels.[31] He also reportedly owned 13 properties by 39 years of age.[32]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ MacLennan, Leah (22 March 2018). "SA election: Who's who in the new South Australian Liberal Government?". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ "The South Australian Government Gazette, 22 March 2018, No. 20, Supplementary Gazette" (PDF). Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ a b Lim, Josephine; McClaren, Rory (5 October 2024). "Former SA Liberal leader David Speirs to face court charged with drug offences, police confirm". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ a b Kelsall, Thomas (5 October 2024). "David Speirs to quit parliament after police raid and arrest". Indaily. Australia. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ a b Speirs, David. "Maiden speech". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ a b c McGuire, Michael (February 2023). "Speirs on election shambles: I was like a kid strapped in the back seat of the car and dad's passed out". The Advertiser. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Speaking out at APEC Voices of the Future". Duke of Edinburgh Australia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
- ^ "Channel 9 Young Achievers Awards". South Australia: Previous winners. Awards Australia.
- ^ ""State Election Votes 2014". Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ^ "Parliament's Economic and Finance Committee" Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ ""Marshall Liberal Team". "Tackling South Australia's economic crisis". Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ "Marshall Liberal Team". "Leading a focused government". Retrieved 25 January 2017.
- ^ "Here's the team steering SA's first Liberal Government in 16 years". ABC News. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "$5 Million Boost to Green Adelaide's CBD". Greenroofs.com. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ Miller, Catherine (25 June 2020). "Landscape changes for natural resource management". Stock Journal. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "'Tsunami of savings': SA households to save $200 on water bills". ABC News. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "SA announces 'grand initiative' to create Australia's largest national park". ABC News. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ a b "South Australia becomes first state to ban single-use plastics". PlanetArk. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "SA Mining and Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan is officially SA's new Deputy Premier". ABC News. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ "Former environment minister David Speirs elected SA Liberal leader". ABC News. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "SA Liberals' David Speirs resigns as opposition leader to give party 'best possible' chance at next election". ABC News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Keane, David (10 September 2024). "Alleged 'deepfake' snorting video appearing to show David Speirs came as 'complete shock' to Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ "South Australian uranium miners welcome opposition leader's nuclear energy support". 27 June 2023.
- ^ Walter, Riley (28 July 2023). "Opposition Leader David Speirs says SA Liberal Party will not back federal Voice to Parliament". The Advertiser.
- ^ "SA Liberals to oppose voice ahead of referendum". 28 July 2023.
- ^ Cross, Jarred (28 July 2023). "South Australian Liberal Party opposes national Voice to Parliament". National Indigenous Times.
- ^ "Speirs calls for end to Libs' 'Divine Right' recruitment drive". In Daily. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ MacLennan, Leah (April 2022). "Former environment minister David Speirs puts his hand up for Liberal leadership". ABC News. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ ""David Speirs". Members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- ^ a b "News". Friends of the Lower Field River. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ^ "David Speirs". dukeofed.com.au.
- ^ Hough, Andrew; Bermingham, Kathryn. "Airbnb reform row engulfs Opposition Leader David Speirs after it emerged that he rents almost a quarter of his expansive property portfolio on short-term website". adelaidenow.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.