Former opposition leader David Speirs has announced he will quit parliament and has suspended his Liberal Party membership following an SA Police raid on his home

David Speirs will quit parliament and suspend his party membership after The Advertiser revealed SA Police raided his home.

Former Liberal leader David Speirs will quit parliament and suspend his party membership after being arrested and questioned when armed police raided his home.

In a video statement released on his social media on Saturday afternoon, Mr Speirs, 39, said the raid came in the wake of explosive footage appearing to show him snorting a white powder.

Mr Speirs said he was “concerned about what is actually the use of state government power against someone who is a political opponent” but did not detail his allegation.

He will formally resign as the MP for the southwestern Adelaide seat of Black when parliament resumes on October 15.

He said he would suspend his Liberal Party membership.

“Since allegations of illicit substance use in my home became public, our home has been raided by armed police and I was arrested and I was questioned,” he said.

“I believe there’s someone pretty sinister behind this.

“And while I am personally devastated by what has happened and I will fight to clear my name of any allegations, I’m equally concerned about what is actually the use of state government power against someone who is a political opponent.

“You know, I can continue in parliament and I could defend myself while also working as an MP, but I don’t believe that I can adequately and effectively serve my local community while also dealing with this matter, protecting my mental health and supporting my family and friends who are gathered around me. For me, it’s time to move on.”

The Advertiser on Saturday morning revealed Mr Speirs’ neighbours said they saw three police officers attend the home at 11pm on Thursday, September 26.

The group investigating the home stayed several hours and were engaging in “forensic-type snooping”, according to a witness.

SA Police later confirmed the raid, issuing a statement which said: “Police can confirm a premises in Kingston Park was searched on September 26 as part of an ongoing investigation. No further comment will be made.”

Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia is expected to make a statement at 3.45pm.

Mr Speirs has been on leave of leave of absence from parliament for mental health reasons since September 11, in the wake of the footage which he said was a deepfake.

In the video released on Saturday afternoon, Mr Speirs said he wanted to rebuild himself over coming months to “be a better person”, “a better friend” and “a better son”.

“That will take time. And I believe it’s best done away from public life. As such, I do intend to step down formally from parliament in the next sitting week,” he said.

“I’ve informed the state Liberal leader and the party. I’m gonna suspend my membership while I seek to resolve this matter.

“But I certainly remain committed to and true to Liberal values and the cause of the Liberal Party, both at state and federal levels.”

In a statement issued on September 11, Mr Speirs said he “must take some time to focus on my own health and wellbeing as any other person should”.

Mr Speirs sat cross-legged on grass, beneath a tree, wearing a blue polo shirt, blue trousers and black R.M. Williams boots, as he delivered the four-minute, forty one second video.

He opened by saying: “This is going to be the hardest video that I’ve ever recorded. The last few months have been really incredibly challenging for me and that culminated in me leaving the leadership of the Liberal Party in August.

“I have endured many pressures over the last few months, if not more. My mental health has been in significant decline.

“I have not been the best version of myself. I’ve not been the best version of David Speirs. And I have spent time with people who did not bring out the best in me, to be quite honest.”

Mr Speirs said he had endured “ immense media intrusion into my life” since quitting the Liberal leadership.

“It has been really, really difficult and it has left me and family and friends fearful to even go to our own homes,” he said.

“That has compounded my mental health challenges hugely and I hope, I ask, that this ends.

As such, I’ll be making no more public statements about this matter.”

Mr Speirs said he had “lots of ideas that remain bubbling around in my head for the future of the state” and hoped to continue to contribute in fields including conservation advocacy, biodiversity, sustainability and the environment.

He said he had loved being an MP and environment minister in the Marshall Liberal government and hoped he had forged a legacy, in partnership with the community and many South Australians, that would “remain for many, many years to come”.

In his September 11 statement, Mr Speirs said the past few days since The Advertiser revealed the footage of him appearing to snort a white powder had been “exceptionally distressing for me and my loved ones” and followed a long period in the public eye, including four years as a minister and two years as Opposition Leader – a job he quit on August 8.

Mr Speirs was elected in 2014. He was Minister for Environment and Water in the Marshall Liberal government from 2018 to 2022.

After the Liberals lost the state election in March, 2022, he became Opposition Leader on April 19, 2022, holding that role until he quit on August 8, 2024.

Originally published as Former opposition leader David Speirs has announced he will quit parliament and has suspended his Liberal Party membership following an SA Police raid on his home