David Speirs quits as South Australian Liberal leader

Opposition Leader David Speirs has quit the Liberals’ top job in SA, saying he “didn’t have the energy” to fight for the party’s leadership anymore. Watch his press conference replay here.

Three Liberals are vying for the party’s top job after Opposition Leader David Speirs suddenly quit on Thursday, declaring he’d “had a gutful” of being undermined and lacked the energy to fight on.

Deputy Leader John Gardner is weighing support for the leadership, along with frontbenchers Vincent Tarzia and Josh Teague.

A clear favourite is yet to emerge as powerbrokers try to avoid another bout of infighting by limiting contenders at a ballot on Monday morning – or even avoiding one altogether by striking a deal.

In an eventful Thursday afternoon, The Advertiser revealed Mr Speirs was considering stepping down and a resignation was expected soon.

Mr Speirs then issued a statement, declaring he wanted to “spend more quality time” with his family and friends “and the demands of the role as leader makes this difficult”.

At a press conference at O’Halloran Hill’s Glenthorne National Park, Mr Speirs said: “To be honest, I’ve just had a gutful and I don’t have the energy to fight for a leadership that, quite frankly, in the current circumstances, I just don’t want to pursue anymore.”

He said he decided to quit after watching “speculation based on speculation based on nothing, over recent weeks, emerge in the papers and the Twitter-sphere’’.

Two years and four months at the helm of the Liberal Party had taken its toll on him and his family, Mr Speirs said.

“I was probably a different type of leader for the Liberal Party, a different background … the party’s never been led by someone from the southern suburbs before,” he said.

“I think I brought something different … was it too soon for me to lead the party, or was the party simply not ready for me to lead it.”

WATCH DAVID SPEIRS’ PRESS CONFERENCE HERE

Mr Speirs said wanted to give the next leader “the best possible opportunity to succeed” at the 2026 election.

“I took on the leadership of this part when it was in the depths of despair in March 2022 following the election,” he said.
“I think I’ve made a fairly good attempt to consolidating the party, uniting the part and moving it into the future.”

Mr Speirs said the Liberal Party was probably not ready for a leader that did not come from one its main factions.

Declaring he would remain in parliament representing his southwestern Adelaide seat of Black, Mr Speirs wished his eventual successor well and promised there would be “no sniping’’. But he added it was unlikely a new person would take the party in a different direction.

Outgoing SA Liberal leader David Speirs. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Mariuz

“It’s extremely easy to throw rocks at the leader of the opposition … (and) it’s extremely easy to have different ideas as to how you might do it better,” he said.

“It’ll be interesting to see if those ideas are forthcoming in the coming days and if a new leader is able to take the party in a different direction.

“I suspect not because I suspect that the foundation that I’ve put in place in terms of the party’s values and the policy platform that we are starting to unroll will leave the party in a reasonable, good stead heading into the future.’’

Mr Speirs said he would not be attending the joint party room meeting next Monday, where the next Liberal leader will be contested, but intended to contest the next election in Black.

It is understood Mr Gardner is canvassing colleagues’ support and Mr Tarzia also is weighing a tilt at the leadership, rather than the deputy’s position. Fellow frontbencher Mr Teague also is said to be interested in the leadership.

All three have Moderate factional backgrounds – the group has a majority within state Liberal ranks. The Right, which has gained control of the party apparatus, is said to be adopting a hands-off approach to this contest.

Embattled Opposition Leader David Speirs says he’s “had a gutful” as he walks away from the opposition’s top job. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Mr Gardner, a senior Moderate, is positioned as the likely replacement.

Mr Tarzia, a former speaker, is considered a likely deputy, because Mr Teague is said not to covet this role.

Mr Gardner and Mr Teague did not comment. Mr Tarzia said: “I’d like to thank David for his hard work as leader of the party. Following his announcement, I’ll be talking to colleagues and focusing on helping the team to win in 2026.”

Health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn has widespread support as a future leader but she is on maternity leave from her frontbench role until November and is understood not to be interested in replacing Mr Speirs.

Former Opposition Leader David Speirs with his deputy leader John Gardner. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

Premier Peter Malinauskas said: “I’ve always enjoyed really good professional, cordial relations with David Speirs. I’ve got some regard for him as an individual.

“I want to acknowledge his service and thank him for it. Being Leader of the Opposition is a really difficult job when your team is completely united but when you’ve got elements within your own party that are undermining you it does make it even more difficult.”

Some influential Liberals were fearing an electoral wipe-out under Mr Speirs, privately labelling him an insipid, ill-tempered and idle leader who has failed to tackle a beatable Mr Malinauskas with substantive policy that energises the public.

Rising star Liberal MP Ashton Hurn. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe

The novice Opposition Leader was been dogged by external criticism and internal scepticism about his leadership, particularly his commitment, energy and personal demeanour.

His self-styled “outsider from the southern suburbs” persona grated on some influential powerbrokers in the Liberals’ traditional base at the top end of town.

Mr Speirs in late July demanded any plotters undermining him “come on and challenge me”, insisting speculation about his leadership was confined to the media.

This followed Mr Tarzia and Mr Teague issuing lukewarm backing for Mr Speirs when asked about his performance.

The row was ignited by The Advertiser’s revelation that Mr Speirs been forced to cancel new holiday plans to attend an overseas family wedding, having missed the June state budget to attend another relative’s marriage.

Former federal Liberal leader Alexander Downer in an Advertiser column on Tuesday urged the Opposition to “inspire the public with their ideas and their policies” rather than fuel a reputation “for being deeply factional and divided” by a “small number … talking of leadership challenges”.

Mr Speirs succeeded outgoing premier Steven Marshall by winning a Liberal leadership ballot in April, 2022, with 18 votes, trouncing Mr Teague (five votes) and Nick McBride (one vote).

Immediately after the ballot, he declared: “I’m not about keeping this seat warm for the future. We are firmly focused on winning in 2026.”

Originally published as David Speirs quits as South Australian Liberal leader