Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia urges predecessor David Speirs to report ‘deepfake’ white powder video to appropriate authorities

Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia called on David Speirs to report the shocking powder footage to authorities if it is fake - but police say no report has yet been made.

Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia says his predecessor David Speirs must report the footage of him appearing to sniff a white powder to police if it is fake.

Mr Tarzia on Tuesday morning said he had spoken with Mr Speirs and he understood his colleague was considering reporting the footage to authorities.

Asked at a Parliament House press conference if the footage was consistent with Mr Speirs’ character, Mr Tarzia said: “David’s made it very clear to me that that’s just not him. I’ve got no reason to think otherwise.”

“I asked him point blank: ‘Is this footage fake?’. He said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘Well you need to report that to the authorities’ and that’s what I’m hoping he does.”

Mr Tarzia said he had “reached out” to Mr Speirs on Monday night and the former leader had “assured me that he’s of the belief that the footage is that of a deepfake”.

“So my suggestion to David is that if he believes that that is the case, that he makes sure that he reports that to the authorities and I think he’s taken that on board,” Mr Tarzia said.

“I know he’s talking to his professional sources and my understanding is that he’s considering that option.

“I’m very clear of the view that if that footage is of a fake nature, that David needs to report that to the relevant authorities, be that photos be that footage as well.”

The video taken at 4.12am on June 30 this year showed Mr Speirs in his Kingston Park home loudly sniffing the unidentified substance on a grey plate through a rolled up $5 note he is holding up to his nostril.

Later, at 6.32am according to metadata on a still image of the scene inside the kitchen, Mr Speirs is at the same bench and this time the plate has seven lines of white powder in neat rows. A powder-covered card sits on the plate’s edge.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said on Tuesday afternoon that no report had been made to police.

“I’m not aware of any report to the South Australian police - like everyone, this is only something that has been brought to our attention in the last few hours,” he said.

Liberal leader Vincent Tarzia says David Speirs needs to report the video to authorities if it is a deepfake. Picture: Dean Martin

Shortly after the video and images were published by The Advertiser on Monday night, Mr Tarzia said he called on Mr Speirs to act.

Mr Tarzia said he would not be drawn into hypotheticals, because he was mindful that the matter might become a police investigation and he did not want to prejudice that.

Mr Tarzia said the “alleged pictures and footage” were “really concerning” to him as Liberal leader and “it’s also concerning to all of us in the Liberal Party”.

Mr Tarzia said he was “very concerned for David Speirs” and he had tried to offer him some pastoral care.

Mr Tarzia said he was first made aware of the existence of the video and photos on Saturday “but I didn’t actually see any of the photos or alleged footage until last night when the story broke”.

“Any suggestion of this kind of activity is of concern to me, and my party takes these matters very seriously,” he said.

Speirs says he is the victim of a deepfake over the video, which appears to show him snorting white powder.

A still image of the video timestamped 4.12am on June 30.

“This is a matter for Mr Speirs, and if it is fake, Mr Speirs should refer it to the appropriate authorities.

“It would be inappropriate for further comment until all facts are known.”

When questioned at home on Saturday – after he was dropped off by Mr Tarzia in a Commonwealth car – Mr Speirs said it was “certainly not me” and called the footage “very troubling”.

“That is very strange. No, no way,” Mr Speirs said when asked if he had snorted what appeared to be white powder.

He later said: “I believe this is a deepfake or an elaborate hoax”.

But high-profile forensic analyst Dr Matthew Sorell, who examined the footage and two still images, found nothing to suggest it had been manipulated, tampered with or altered in any way.

Physical features – including ears and facial marks – noted by Dr Sorell match Mr Speirs.

The Advertiser is not suggesting any wrongdoing on Mr Speirs’ behalf, nor is it asserting the substance was illicit.

The video and images were taken during Mr Speirs’ last weeks as opposition leader before he stepped down on August 8. He is on Tuesday due to return to parliament for the first time since his resignation.

He will take his place on the backbench after Mr Tarzia opted not to include him in his shadow Cabinet – a decision that was later criticised by Mr Speirs.

Mr Speirs was absent for the first sitting week after parliament’s lengthy winter break because he was attending a cousin’s wedding in Scotland.

Originally published as Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia urges predecessor David Speirs to report ‘deepfake’ white powder video to appropriate authorities