Former Liberal leader David Speirs expected to stay in party

Premier Peter Malinauskas has seized on the turmoil engulfing his Liberal rivals over former leader David Speirs’ future.

Premier Peter Malinauskas has seized on Liberal turmoil over former leader David Speirs’ future in the party, accusing his rivals of plunging into chaos over his self-imposed exile.

Senior Liberals say Mr Speirs is likely to defuse his threat to quit the party after reflecting on his future during an overseas jaunt to attend a cousin’s wedding.

Liberal deputy leader John Gardner said he had spoken to Mr Speirs on Wednesday morning and was “absolutely convinced and certain that he will stay with us”.

But Mr Malinauskas highlighted Mr Speirs’ failure to declare his own future, having on Tuesday vowed only that he would continue in his southwestern Adelaide electorate of Black.

“Suffice to say only the South Australian Liberals could come up with a plan to have the deputy leader put the current leader in hiding and to find a way to explain what the former leader would be doing about their own status in the Liberal Party,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“That strikes me as unique to the South Australian Liberal Party.”

Asked by The Advertiser why Mr Speirs had not declared he would remain in the party, Mr Gardner said he was “perfectly capable of judging whether or not he wants to make a public statement for himself”.

“Right now, I think he’s focused on making sure his electorate gets the service that it needs. He’s going to take a holiday and that’s, I think, completely understandable,” Mr Gardner said.

“…I hope he runs at the next election. I think that’s his plan, as the Liberal candidate for Black.”

Asked if Mr Speirs considered Vincent Tarzia as among those who had undermined his leadership, Mr Gardner said: “That has not been a topic of our conversations.”

Asked if Mr Speirs had spoken with Mr Tarzia since Monday’s ballot, Mr Gardner said that was a matter for the duo.

Liberal powerbrokers expect Mr Speirs to be offered a senior frontbench portfolio, with some urging Mr Tarzia to install his predecessor in treasury to replace Matt Cowdrey, who is viewed as having underperformed.

It is understood Mr Speirs has told at least one colleague that he intends to remain a Liberal.

One senior Liberal said Mr Speirs would want to remain in the party to retain his seat, even if only to service the debt on his extensive property portfolio of 14 homes.

“Where else is he going to get a $200,000-plus-a-year job,” the senior Liberal told The Advertiser. A state backbencher’s basic salary is $218,143.

Another senior Liberal said Mr Speirs had been urged to avoid tarnishing his leadership legacy by appearing bitter after having quit the top job last Thursday.

Another Liberal said: “I get the feeling that Speirs will go away overseas for a bit, take a breath, and assess what’s next after he gets back”.

Former Liberal leader David Speirs at his Hallett Cove electorate office, in a picture he posted on August 13. Picture: Instagram / David Speirs

The outgoing leader is expected to head to Scotland on Friday to attend a cousin’s wedding.

Mr Speirs left open his threat of quitting the party with a cryptic social media message on Tuesday afternoon, in which he vowed to “never stop advocating” for his constituents in his southwestern Adelaide seat of Black.

But the open-ended statement intensified a stand-off that threatens to cruel Mr Tarzia’s fledgling leadership, following Mr Speirs’ declaration last Friday that it would be “difficult to remain in the Liberal Party” if the “two or three” people who undermined his leadership were rewarded in the new regime.

The state Liberal leadership team after Vincent Tarzia won Monday’s ballot. (From left) Jing Lee, Vincent Tarzia, John Gardner and Nicola Centofanti. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

Asked after Monday morning’s ballot if he had undermined the outgoing leader, Mr Tarzia said: “No, absolutely not”.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Speirs said he was “enjoying a respectful reset back in my Hallett Cove office” – in a thinly cloaked dig at Mr Tarzia, who has promised a “respectful reset” of the Liberal leadership.

“I’ll never stop advocating for those who I represent in our state’s parliament,” Mr Speirs said.

“I’ve tried to stay as present as possible in recent years, despite being leader of the South Australian Liberal Party.

“But now that’s no longer part of my job description, my local patch will be seeing me around a fair bit more often.

“I hope they don’t get sick of me.”