David Speirs sends final letter to Black electorate in Adelaide’s south

The former opposition leader, now facing drug supply charges, has laid bare his “heavy heart” in a letter to thousands of voters in Adelaide’s south. Read it here.

Former Liberal leader and alleged drug supplier David Speirs has written to voters in his electorate to say recent weeks had been “incredibly challenging” and he quit as a politician with a “heavy heart”.

Breaking his silence after formally quitting parliament last week, Mr Speirs, 39, laid bare his personal trauma in a letter to 26,535 constituents in his former seat of Black.

On his official parliamentary letterhead, he wrote that he left politics with a “heavy heart” after 10 years as the local MP.

Former Opposition leader David Speirs pictured at Glenthorne Park, one of his proudest achievements while Environment Minister in last government. Picture: Matt Turner.

He further wrote how the past few months had been “incredibly challenging for me” amid intense media scrutiny following the notorious white powder video and subsequent police investigation.

“My mental health has impacted and I have struggled,” he wrote.

He said he had suffered “deep anxiety and stress” from the public attention.

“It’s an understatement to say that this has been incredibly difficult and it has left me, family and friends fearful to even go to our own homes,” he wrote.

He lists his successes, thanks the Liberal Party and colleagues and flags future “environmental advocacy”.

David Speirs letter to his electorate

David Speirs letter to his electorate

Mr Speirs’ note, which was dropped in letterboxes at the weekend, are his first public comments since he ended his political career last Tuesday.

Voters will go to the polls in the southwestern suburban electorate to elect his replacement the day after faces court on drug-supply charges.

He has vowed to clear his name.

In September, The Advertiser published a video that appears to show Mr Speirs snorting a white powder at the kitchen bench of his Kingston Park home.

He has claimed the video is a deepfake.

A world-renowned expert’s forensic analysis found no evidence the video was faked and Mr Speirs has not reported his allegation to police.

The Liberals and Labor have revealed candidates – Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson (Liberal) and senior Sacred Heart College teacher Alex Dighton (ALP), who unsuccessfully ran against Mr Speirs in 2022.

Originally published as David Speirs sends final letter to Black electorate in Adelaide’s south