Former South Australian Liberal party leader David Speirs has been convicted of supplying cocaine, months after denying involvement and claiming a video showing him snorting a white substance was a “deepfake.”
On Thursday, an Adelaide court fined Speirs A$9,000 (£4,311; $5,720) and ordered him to complete 37.5 hours of community service. The 39-year-old was also convicted, despite his legal team’s request for the court to avoid recording the offence.
Speirs was arrested in September following the release of footage by News Corp that appeared to show him snorting cocaine off a plate. At the time, he insisted the footage was fabricated and claimed he had never used drugs.
He later admitted he had lied and stepped down from parliament amid the resulting public and political backlash. In March, Speirs pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine to two men in August.
His defence argued that he used drugs “as a form of escapism” from work-related stress, but clarified that the offences occurred outside of his professional duties. Nonetheless, prosecutors maintained that the matter was in the public interest due to Speirs’ high-ranking political role.
Magistrate Brian Nitschke refused the request to avoid recording a conviction, citing the seriousness of the offence and the need for public accountability. “The need for public denunciation for this type of offending and the need for general deterrence is too great,” he said.
He acknowledged the stress Speirs may have been under but emphasized that it was “certainly no excuse” for his actions.
Speirs had led the South Australian Liberal party since 2022 and served a decade in the state parliament. His fall from grace has stirred public and media reaction, especially after his initial claims were proven false.
