Alleged drug supplier David Speirs might have still been an MP without The Advertiser’s revelations | Paul Starick

In an alternate reality without The Advertiser, an alleged drug supplier could still be in parliament and voters would have no idea, writes Paul Starick.

In an alternate reality, alleged drug supplier David Speirs would have walked into state parliament on Tuesday, harbouring a dark secret.

Mr Speirs would have walked to the seat previously occupied by former premier Steven Marshall and resumed his duties as the member for the southwestern Adelaide seat of Black.

Undoubtedly, Mr Speirs would have been peppered with questions from media waiting outside the building, asking about The Advertiser in September publishing a video of him appearing to snort a white powder off the kitchen bench of his Kingston Park home.

Mr Speirs might well have kept arguing that video was a deepfake. But he might well have been confident that none of his Liberal colleagues knew he stood accused of supplying a controlled substance – an offence that, if proven, carries a maximum $50,000 fine and 10-year prison term. Mr Speirs has denied any wrongdoing.

The-then Opposition Leader David Speirs during question time in the SA parliament on November 14, 2023. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Police Minister Dan Cregan – a former Liberal colleague of Mr Speirs – might have cast him a knowing eye. They had been briefed by Police Commissioner Grant Stevens on September 27 about Mr Speirs being arrested on September 26 at Berri and charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance between August 2 and 3 and on August 9.

In the normal course of events, the public – the people that elect politicians – would have to have waited until Mr Speirs’ November 15 court date to learn of the charges.

This alternate reality might have unfolded, were it not for revelations by The Advertiser setting in train a course of events that culminated in the knowledge that the man who was the Opposition Leader and alternate premier until August 8 was now an alleged drug supplier.

The Advertiser on Saturday revealed police had raided Mr Speirs’ home, leading to him declaring he would quit parliament and he had been arrested, leading to police revealing details of the charges.

In an unusual public statement, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens fired back at Mr Speirs extraordinary claim in his video statement that state power has been deployed against a political opponent

Former Liberal leader David Speirs issues a video statement on Saturday. Picture: Facebook/Supplied.

Mr Stevens, through a spokesman, told the Sunday Mail: “If Mr Speirs has any concerns regarding an alleged conspiracy, he should report his concerns to the Independent Commission Against Corruption immediately.”

It is understood Mr Malinauskas was told on September 27 of Mr Speirs’ arrest, in an early-morning phone call from Mr Stevens. This was the first time Mr Malinauskas, Mr Cregan or anyone in the government learned of the police investigation.

The Police Commissioner has a degree of independence, under the Police Act, There also are conventions about policy and operational matters.

Generally, the Police Minister is informed of operational issues after the fact.

Police media on Saturday afternoon justified the release of details of Mr Speirs’ arrest and charges by saying this was “as a result of the public statement made on social media by MP David Speirs in which he reveals he had been arrested”.

At a press conference on Tuesday morning, Mr Malinauskas said it was “entirely orthodox” that the Police Commissioner called him, as Premier, to advise him “when significant events unfold”.

Mr Malinauskas said he treated the “information with the respect and the confidence that it deserves” and, correctly, described Mr Stevens as “a man with integrity and judgment”.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens and Premier Peter Malinauskas at a press conference in Old Parliament House in May, 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

SA Police says it treated the arrest of former opposition leader David Speirs the same as it would any other person and, in doing so, did not intend to make the public aware.

“It is the usual practice that the public learns of routine drug matters such as this when the individual facing the charges first appears in court,” a police spokeswoman said in a statement on Sunday.

Surely, there is a higher standard of accountability for MPs and an onus on police to publicly reveal serious charges.

The Salisbury affair was decades ago but demonstrates the importance of police appearing both transparent and free from political interference.

In future, authorities might not be as honourable or decent as Mr Stevens and Mr Malinauskas.