Liberal titan fronts court on drug shock

The former leader of South Australia’s Liberal Party has fronted court for the first time on a shock drug supply charge.

David Speirs, who led the embattled state Liberal Party from April 2022 until his resignation in August this year, pushed through a scrum of media reporters at Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Friday, where he appeared for the first time to face the allegation he supplied or administered a drug to another person.

Standing quietly in the dock before Magistrate Todd Grant, Mr Speirs asked for his bail agreement to be altered to allow him to travel abroad over the Christmas period.

The prosecution did not oppose the request and Mr Grant granted it, imposing a $15,000 surety bond.

Mr Speirs must also provide his trip itinerary to the police and report to the Christies Beach Police station on his return, Mr Grant said.

A charge determination hearing was set for March 5.

Mr Speirs said he would make a public statement on his case shortly.

Police say the former Liberal leader’s charge relates to an alleged offence that took place in Kingston Park, a suburb in southern Adelaide, between August 1 and August 10 this year.

If found guilty, Mr Speirs faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

In a video from October 5, Mr Speirs responded directly to drug charge, denying the allegation and suggesting he may have been the victim of “state government power”.

“I have endured many pressures over the last few months,” he said.

“My mental health has been in significant decline. I’ve not been the best version of myself. I’ve not been the best version of David Speirs and I have spent time with people who did not bring out the best of me, to be honest.

“Since allegations of illicit substance use in my home became public, my home has been raided by armed police.

“And I was arrested and I was questioned.

“I believe there is someone pretty sinister behind this.

“And while I am personally devastated by what has happened and I will fight to clear my name of any allegations, I am equally concerned about what is actually the use of state government power against someone who is a political opponent.”

His appearance in court follows the circulation of video footage, revealed by The Adelaide Advertiser in early September, that appears to show Mr Speirs in his kitchen in June snorting a substance off a plate and standing next to some white powder arranged in lines.

Mr Speirs has previously denied the veracity of the video, claiming it may be a “deep fake”.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has called the scandal “breathtaking”.

“There’s a whole range of questions for Vincent Tarzia to answer here and Mr Speirs and the Liberal Party,” he said in September.

Mr Tarzia was elected to replace Mr Speirs as Liberal leader.

Mr Speirs, who speaks with a Scottish accent and immigrated to Australia as a teenager, resigned from parliament in the wake of the escalating scandal, sparking a by-election in the marginal electorate of Black, which covers Adelaide’s southern beachside suburbs.

The by-election takes place of Saturday, with Labor contender Alex Dighton, a school deputy principal, fronting up against Liberal candidate Amanda Wilson, the mayor of the Holdfast Bay council.

Wilson has advocated for random drug testing for MPs while on the campaign trail.

“A lot of other people in the workforce have to submit to drug testing and politicians are making legislation, they should be held to a higher standard,” she said.