David Speirs returns to Adelaide from Scotland and criticises handling of his backbench role

Former Liberal leader David Speirs has returned to Adelaide from an overseas family wedding and gone on the attack.

David Speirs landed at Adelaide Airport on Tuesday morning, seemingly relaxed, refreshed and hot on the warpath, launching into a tirade against his successor, Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia.

The Liberal Member for Black was sporting a casual look, with a hoodie and backwards cap, as he was approached by media outside the airport carpark.

Mr Speirs spoke bluntly, telling 7News Mr Tarzia, was a colleague not a friend, and that his successor’s start had been shaky.
“I’ve been watching from afar,” he said.
“We will see how that unfolds over the coming weeks I guess.”
But it was the handling of Mr Speirs demotion – being relegated to a backbench role – that caused particular frustration.
Mr Speirs said he was disheartened to learn that he’d been overlooked for a Shadow Cabinet role within Mr Tarzia’s team, finding out about the decision via media, rather than a direct conversation.

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“I think as one of the most senior people in the party … and as Leader for two years, I had quite a bit to offer,” he said.
“It goes to the measure of the way the party is operating at the moment I suppose.”

The issue was raised with Deputy Leader of the Opposition John Gardner as he fielded questions from media at parliament late Tuesday morning.
“David Speirs obviously deserves respect as a former leader and he is a valued colleague for us all,” Mr Gardner said.

“But when it comes to the minutiae of process around Shadow Cabinet appointments, I reckon there aren’t too many South Australians who think that that is the number one issue on their minds.”

Speaking last month, Mr Tarzia stated he would talk to Mr Speirs about his future in the party once he had returned from Scotland.

“When David is back in a number of weeks, I’m more than happy and willing to sit down with (him), but not at the moment,” he said.

SA Liberal MP David Speirs arrives back in Adelaide from Scotland. Picture: 7NEWS

Internal tension about Mr Speirs’ leadership erupted in late July, when The Advertiser revealed he had been forced to cancel holiday plans to attend an overseas family wedding – receiving backlash over potentially missing a number of parliamentary sitting days.

David Speirs took aim at his critics for attending a series of family weddings in Scotland during parliamentary sitting days. Picture: Instagram

Things became increasingly heated following Mr Speirs’ missing the June 6 state budget for another family wedding in Scotland, with the then Opposition Leader firing back at Labor’s criticism in parliament – angrily declaring: “I’ve got a family too”.

In a pointed remark aimed at his critics, a kilt-clad Mr Speirs captioned a picture of himself attending the latest family wedding: “Family always comes first!”.

Parliament resumed from a midwinter break last Tuesday August 27, with Mr Speirs absent for all three sitting days.

Mr Speirs succumbed to mounting criticism of his leadership on August 8, when he quit the top state Liberal job and was succeeded by Mr Tarzia.