Rumour about David Speirs’ SA Liberal leadership that just won’t go away

The rumour mill is in overdrive about a “dream team” Liberal leadership pairing which, as Paul Starick writes, shows the party’s despair about defeating Premier Peter Malinauskas.

A persistent rumour about a “dream team” poised to seize the state Liberal leadership from David Speirs has been doing the rounds for some time.

In this speculated scenario, the embattled Mr Speirs is replaced early next year by the “dream team” of Ashton Hurn as Liberal leader and Jack Batty as her deputy.

The timing would be about a year out from the next state election, which will be on March 21, 2026.

Liberal health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn and Opposition Leader David Speirs at a Parliament House media conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Emma Brasier

The motivation would be to leverage the Moderate faction’s numbers – both of the “dream team” duo are in this group – before the prospect of a crushing defeat.

Both are first-term MPs who have acknowledged a need to develop their policy, parliamentary and political skills.

Ms Hurn is on maternity leave until October, having on May 9 announced the birth of her first child, a boy.

She is a formidable and talented political operator, who is widely expected to be the next state Liberal leader, even by powerbrokers in the Conservative faction.

It is a mark of the party’s desperation, though, that Ms Hurn continues to be thought of as the Liberal leadership’s saviour when her own thoughts are more with her newborn son, Rupert.

Ashton Hurn and husband with newborn boy, Rupert Francis Hurn Howard. Picture: Facebook

This is because there are fears within parts of the Liberal Party of an electoral wipe-out in 2026 with Mr Speirs at the helm.

Comparisons have been raised to Labor’s historic landslide at the 2021 Western Australian state election, at which the Liberals went from 14 seats to just two.

The ongoing popularity of Premier Peter Malinauskas is buttressing Labor’s support and flummoxing the Liberals.

Some Liberals are convinced Mr Malinauskas will eventually depart the state scene for a tilt at federal politics.

With some justification, they believe the Labor ranks below him are bereft of future leaders and timidly hold this out as their best hope of eventually defeating the government.

Speculation about Mr Malinauskas moving to the national stage is evidence of his electoral appeal.

An Advertiser.com.au poll last week asked: “Would Peter Malinauskas make a good Prime Minister?”. Of about 4250 respondents, 56 per cent said yes and 44 per cent said no. The yes vote was even higher, beyond 60 per cent, before the poll was exposed to a national readership.

This is an unfortunate situation for Mr Speirs, who did not covet the Liberal leadership but took over after the train wreck of the 2022 state election that deposed Steven Marshall’s government.

Opposition Leader David Speirs pictured at Glenthorne Park, one of his proudest achievements while Environment Minister in previous Marshall Liberal government. Picture Matt Turner.

He is an accidental leader who does not belong to either of the Liberal factions: Conservative or Moderate.

Mr Speirs has a strong competitive streak but questions continue to be raised about the depth of his desire to become Premier.

The latest outbreak was this week, following an anonymous email revealing he would be absent from parliament for the June 6 state budget, because he would be attending his cousin’s wedding in Scotland.

Mr Speirs is extremely close to his cousin, who likely did not consult the parliamentary sitting calendar when fixing his wedding date.

He is funding the trip himself, apart from AUKUS-related meetings afterwards, including to Rolls-Royce Submarines in Derby, where nuclear reactors for Adelaide-built submarines will be constructed.

Mr Speirs will return for a budget reply speech the following week.

Bragg Liberal MP Jack Batty, pictured after winning the seat in a July 2, 2022 by-election. Picture: Morgan Sette

But he has given his critics, of which there are many, more ammunition to undermine him. Criticisms include a lack of economic strategy, forcing responses to Labor to be made in a scattergun tactical manner.

There also is criticism that Mr Speirs has not delivered internal reforms he promised after the disastrous by-election loss in March of Dunstan, the seat previously held by Mr Marshall.

Some Liberals believe they are sleepwalking towards a nightmarish defeat in 2026.

This means the prospect of a “dream team” takeover becomes more than just a distant fantasy.