David Speirs, former leader of South Australia’s Liberal Party, has been convicted of drug offences and fined A$9,000 following a court ruling in Adelaide on Thursday. He was also ordered to complete 37.5 hours of community service.
Speirs was arrested in September after a video surfaced showing him snorting a white substance from a plate. Initially, he dismissed the footage as a “deepfake” and denied ever using cocaine. However, he later admitted the video was real, leading to his resignation from parliament.
In March, Speirs pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine to two men in August. His legal team argued that the drug use was a personal coping mechanism for work-related stress, though the offences did not occur in a professional setting.
The case drew widespread media attention due to Speirs’ senior political status. Prosecutors emphasized the public interest in holding him accountable.
Although his lawyer requested that no conviction be recorded to allow international travel, Magistrate Brian Nitschke declined, citing the seriousness of the offences.
