1. David James Speirs was born on 15 December 1984 and is a Scottish-Australian politician, who was the Leader of the Opposition in South Australia and Leader of the South Australian Liberal Party from April 2022 until August 2024.
27 Facts About David Speirs
1. 2.
David Speirs was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from the 2014 state election, representing the electorate of Bright from 2014 to 2018, and its successor, the electorate of Black, from 2018 to 2024.
3.
David Speirs resigned the leadership on 8 August 2024, triggering a Liberal leadership election which was won by Vincent Tarzia.
4.
David Speirs was born in Galloway, Scotland, and was schooled at Kirkcolm Primary School and Stranraer Academy.
5.
David Speirs emigrated to Australia with his parents and two younger brothers at the age of 17 in 2002.
6.
In 2008, David Speirs graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Laws.
7.
David Speirs was elected as a councillor and deputy mayor for the Marion City Council, serving between 2010 and 2014.
8.
David Speirs 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.
9.
David Speirs was a national director of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Australia between 2010 and 2014.
10.
In 2012, David Speirs received the Community Leadership Award at the Channel 9 Young Achievers Awards.
11.
David Speirs entered the South Australian Parliament in March 2014, defeating Chloe Fox, Labor's Minister for Transport Services.
12.
In October 2014, David Speirs was appointed to the Parliament's Economic and Finance Committee following the resignation of Iain Evans.
13.
In January 2017, David Speirs ascended to the front bench as Shadow Minister for the Environment.
14.
In March 2018, following the election of the Marshall Government at the South Australian Election, David Speirs was sworn in as Minister for Environment and Water.
15.
In March 2021, legislation introduced by David Speirs meant South Australia became the first state in Australia to ban single-use plastics.
16.
In November 2021, David Speirs contested the deputy party leader and Deputy Premier ballot, but lost to Dan van Holst Pellekaan.
17.
On 8 August 2024, David 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.
18.
David Speirs stated he intended to remain in parliament as the member for the electoral district of Black.
19.
David Speirs claimed the video was a deepfake but, 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 as a result of the video.
20.
David Speirs opposed the state and federal Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposals, but supported constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.
21.
David Speirs faced criticism in 2021 when he spoke at a church and encouraged those in attendance to join the Liberal Party, but later said the issue had been taken out of context.
22.
David Speirs is an active lifesaver at the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club and has a strong interest in health and fitness.
23.
David Speirs is a founding member of the Hallett Cove-based environmental group, Friends of the Lower Field River, a Landcare group established by Hallett Cove residents in 2006 to protect and care for the lower portion of the Field River and its environs.
24.
David Speirs completed all three levels of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
25.
David Speirs reportedly owned 13 properties by 39 years of age.
26.
In March 2025, David Speirs appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, where the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed that two charges of supplying a controlled substance would proceed.
27.
The alleged offences occurred in August 2024, and David Speirs was arrested in September after a video reportedly showed him snorting from a plate.