Placing the blame on the wrong person
The deepfake in the sordid David Speirs affair may just be Speirs himself, writes Mike Smithson.
Former SA Liberal leader David Speirs is essentially a nice bloke who thought he was doing a good and honest job until the political wheels fell off.
Speirs recently pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying an illicit substance to separate people in August last year.
He’s now awaiting sentencing submissions in the Magistrates’ Court on April 11, which may result in a verdict with some sympathy, or he could be dealt with harshly.
That’s up to Magistrate Brian Nitschke to decide, and we’re all awaiting his findings and hopefully his reasons for them.
But is Speirs just an ordinary bloke who made mistakes or mixed with the wrong crowd?
The 40-year-old wanted to be Premier of this state, and until his fall from grace, genuinely thought he was the best person for the job.
But as a political reporter who dealt with him often, I started to see cracks appearing in his character and maturity soon after the last state election.
He never seemed fully committed to the cause in the way that his predecessor Steven Marshall tackled the arduous, frustrating and often tedious role of Opposition Leader.
Soon after moving into his elected top job, his office contacted me issuing an invitation to catch up with Speirs for a casual coffee and chat about where he intended taking the party.
He was apparently eager to hear my candid views, which I was happy to give.
The night before that meeting, it was cancelled without any reason, with a promise that it would be rescheduled for the next week.
Fair enough, and it was.
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The new date was on my rostered day off, but I was still happy to reconvene at 8am before his workday officially began.
As I was battling peak hour traffic and only 10 minutes before the appointed time, that meeting was also scrapped
There was never a follow-up, and the planned catch-up didn’t eventuate.
That’s showbiz, as they say, but it showed me his attitude lacked genuine commitment.
At the beginning of last year, I told ABC and FIVEaa radio listeners that the Liberals would never win an election with Speirs as leader.
It was based on what I saw as an outwardly lukewarm approach to the leadership.
The Libs needed a stark point of difference to Premier Peter Malinauskas’ growing persona.
In reply, Speirs shot me down in flames, saying I’d lost touch with my political contacts and that he was there for the long term.
He’s entitled to his opinion, but only one of us remains in the game.
My final face-to-face with then-Opposition Leader Speirs confirmed everything I’d suspected about his personality profile.
Given our previous statements, it was awkward being placed one seat away from him on a sponsor’s table at the annual Mid-Winter Charity Ball early last August.
It’s an occasion where the Premier and Opposition Leader always give a lively, self-deprecating and often irreverent speech about themselves, their party, other pollies, the media and the world in general.
It’s a tough gig even for the most seasoned party leader in front of 500 paying guests who’re there to be entertained.
Decked out in his Scottish family kilt, Speirs was clearly nervous but excelled under obvious pressure.
I congratulated him after he returned to the table and reaffirmed we should catch up for that coffee which was never destined to happen.
He then abruptly left the table as the main course was being served, saying he had double booked and had to attend the annual SA Dairy Awards in the city.
That was a rude departure considering the table host had just paid for his meal, which was then tossed in the bin.
On checking his bizarre exit with a colleague who’d hosted the Dairy Awards, Speirs was a no-show there and hadn’t even rsvp’d to the event.
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That was a night in question relating to his admitted drug supply offences.
His boldfaced fib to me, which was also overheard by others, set a new benchmark of distrust.
It was an immature way of cutting loose a significant public event for which he couldn’t care less, without any thought of being found out, and if so, what did it matter?
As the police case against him mounted and an unsavoury video emerged of him allegedly snorting a white substance, it suddenly mattered a lot.
Speirs resigned from his party leadership and politics over subsequent weeks, paving the way for the Liberals to be slaughtered in the Black by-election.
He’s always protested his innocence, blaming “someone pretty sinister” was out to get him, but on the drug supply offences now admits he’s guilty as charged.
It’s another childlike example of being unable to tell the truth until it’s too late.
His stated desire outside court to now have the matter dealt with quickly by a magistrate may be to escape with the lightest possible penalty.
But David, it shouldn’t be as easy as that.
In my opinion, your taxpayer-funded privileged and trusted former position lifts you to the next level.
The court may think the same way and penalise you harshly, or it may take pity on your excuses of mental health and mixing with the wrong crowd.
I guess you’ll be able to sweat on the decision until the verdict is delivered.
There are certain people who blame all of life’s misfortunes on everyone except themselves.
You’ve referred to a damning image of the white substance being snorted as a “deepfake”.
The deepfake in this sordid affair may just be Speirs himself.
He was admired by his constituents who elected and re-elected him on three occasions, but he must shoulder some blame for the Liberals’ shocking by-election defeat.
Black may remain in the Liberal wilderness after next year’s state election and way beyond.
The Libs have now cut Speirs loose for all time, despite showing support during his darkest hour.
He’s betrayed their trust and that of the state he hoped to lead.
If Speirs disappears into the far reaches of his Scottish birthplace after being dealt with by the court, the state will be no poorer for it.
Mental health issues may be of growing concern, and I hope he receives treatment and fully recovers.
I also hope his future will be better than his past and that he has come of age in owning up to his mistakes.
Mike Smithson is weekend presenter and political analyst for 7NEWS Adelaide
