David Speirs, former leader of the South Australian Liberal Party, has recently pleaded guilty to two counts of drug supply involving cocaine. This admission follows his use of the substance, which he described as a form of “escapism,” as he introduced it to friends around August 2024. The 40-year-old was sentenced at the Adelaide Magistrates Court after his guilty plea in March.
The incidents occurred during early August, coinciding with Speirs’ resignation as the opposition leader. He stepped down on August 8, citing exhaustion from ongoing leadership speculation and expressing that he “just had a gutful” of the pressures associated with the role.
In the wake of these events, Speirs resigned from parliament entirely in October following his arrest, further entrenching the controversy surrounding his leadership and personal choices.