Former Speaker Josh Teague declares candidacy for SA Liberal leadership

Former Speaker Josh Teague has declared his hand for the state Liberal leadership, setting up a three-way contest at an April 19 meeting. Who should win?

Defeated Liberals are facing a three-way contest for the party’s leadership after former Speaker Josh Teague declared he would seek to become Opposition Leader in a vote now set for April 19.

Former environment minister David Speirs has been considered the favourite but has yet to formally declare his candidacy, while backbencher Nick McBride is rated a long shot.

Desperately trying to avoid an explosion of infighting after a devastating loss at the March 19 state election, Liberal factional leaders are praising both Mr Speirs and Mr Teague – although the conservatives prefer the latter as a deputy leader.

Senior moderates insist there is absolutely no factional involvement in the vote and conservatives say they are looking to work with them on an agreed leadership ticket.

Other senior Liberals said Mr Teague was favoured by loyalists to former deputy premier Vickie Chapman, would have first-mover advantage and might erode Mr Speirs’ support base.

Heysen MP Josh Teague poses for a photo last November after he was sworn in as the new Attorney-General at Government House Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Former premier Steven Marshall issued a statement on Friday, in his capacity as acting Opposition Leader, announcing the leadership would be determined at an April 19 joint party room meeting.

Mr Teague, who holds the Adelaide Hills seat of Heysen, said he on Friday morning advised former premier Steven Marshall and his Liberal colleagues he would nominate for the leadership.

“In doing so, I recommitted myself to serve. I believe strongly in merit and inclusion. Working together, we must rebound from the election loss and win in 2026. This is now a matter for the parliamentary party room,” he said in a statement.

Mr Teague is considered a moderate and Mr Speirs a conservative but neither are factional warriors.

Moderates said the faction was not backing Mr Teague as a bloc but others said the situation was fluid, because Mr Speirs had not declared his hand.

A senior conservative urged MPs to “coalesce around the candidacy of David Speirs as leader” and urged him to nominate in the interests of the party.

Then-premier Steven Marshall in February watches then-environment minister David Speirs at Felixstow Reserve where he announced funds to restore wildlife to the area. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Conservatives said they believed Ms Chapman was threatening a by-election in her southeastern Adelaide seat of Bragg if Mr Speirs was elected leader, because she did not believe she could work with him. Asked for comment, Ms Chapman said: “Another day in politics!”

Even before Mr Teague declared his leadership candidacy, he was being backed by conservatives ahead of fellow former Speaker Vincent Tarzia, John Gardner and Tim Whetstone.

“Josh is highly respected by the conservative wing of the party and we see him as filling the role as a loyal deputy, which is a function that the party hasn’t benefited from for a long time,” the conservative said.

Veteran Labor minister Tom Koutsantonis on Thursday aired speculation that Mr Speirs was refusing to work with Ms Chapman and she was considering a by-election. At the time, Ms Chapman declined to comment.

Mr Speirs fired back, branding Mr Koutsantonis a “a scheming old has-been” like Scar in The Lion King movie.