Former environment Minister David Speirs throws cold water on Vickie Chapman feud as he declares leadership candidacy

Insider claims of a feuding between the pair have not deterred David Speirs from keeping Chapman’s hat in the ring.

Liberal leadership favourite David Speirs says he will consider former deputy premier Vickie Chapman for a frontbench role despite party insiders saying the pair’s feud has erupted to unprecedented levels.

Confirming his candidacy for the shattered party’s top job on Wednesday, Mr Speirs said he “wouldn’t rule out” offering Ms Chapman a position in his shadow cabinet if he won an April 19 leadership ballot.

Mr Speirs dismissed as “a myth” the notion of a feud between he and Ms Chapman, a Moderate faction leader, saying there would always be a place for her within the Liberal Party.

But one Liberal insider said the pair’s feud was “the worst I’ve seen it” and another rated Mr Speirs’ rival for the top job, former speaker Josh Teague, as Ms Chapman’s “spoiler candidate”.

Declaring his candidacy, Mr Speirs vowed to have a “pathway to victory” at the 2026 state election,

An unaligned conservative, he said he wanted to put an end to factional divisions within the party.

“I’ve got cross-party relationships, and I hope that I can provide the leadership that enables us to look to the future,” he said.

Former deputy premier Vickie Chapman Picture: David Mariuz

“I think we can move forward as a party and leave some of that old history behind because it has dogged us, and South Australians aren’t at all interested in those internal fights.”

He wouldn’t rule out a shadow cabinet position for Ms Chapman, pending the outcome of an ombudsman’s inquiry in relation to her rejection of a proposal to build a seaport on Kangaroo Island.

“I’ll have those discussions with Vickie when the time comes, but I wouldn’t rule it out at all,” he said.

“I think it is a myth to say that I’ve got some sort of feud with Vickie. She is someone that I looked up to in the party and will continue to do so.”

Just hours after Mr Speirs, 37, declared his candidacy for Liberal leadership, Ms Chapman took to Twitter to reflect on when she ran for the party’s deputy position in 2006.

“In 2006, when running for deputy, a senior MP said he couldn’t support me because I was ‘too young and inexperienced’. I was 48, had 20+ years running my own legal practice, a barrister, the party’s president, and sat on boards. Can’t help but reflect on that conversation now,” she wrote.

Speaking from Kingston Park in the heart of his own electorate, Mr Speirs said the party needed to reconnect with people from the suburbs and the regions.

“I think that’s an area where we have struggled with in the most recent election, we’ve seen swings, which were much bigger than we could have ever anticipated,” he said.

While conceding there was a mountain to climb to win back government, Mr Speirs said he could turn it around in the next four years.

SA Liberal leadership favourite David Speirs. Picture: Sarah Marshall

“There’s no doubt we’re coming from further behind because we lost seats, which I believe we shouldn’t have lost,” he said.

“But there is a pathway to victory and I am putting my hand up to take up this role with my eyes firmly focused on the March 2026 state election.”

He said his own election win in the seat of Black was a representation of the success the party can have if they reconnect.

“I represent a new generation of leadership, someone who has connected with and held a seat that is traditionally a Labor seat.

“On election day, my seat should have been the first of the second tier of seats to fall. That didn’t happen at all here.

“Suburbs like Hallett Cove, Sheidow Park, Trott Park, were areas that I was able to connect to those traders, those working families.”

Former police minister and speaker Vincent Tarzia is expected to contest the deputy leadership, because he has been contacting colleagues about running and suggesting he intends to nominate.

Former ministers Tim Whetstone and John Gardner also are expected to contest the deputy’s position.

If Mr Teague doesn’t win the role of opposition leader, he is considered the favourite for the deputy position because of cross-factional support.

Originally published as Former environment Minister David Speirs throws cold water on Vickie Chapman feud as he declares leadership candidacy