Tarzia in 'complete shock' over video that David Speirs says is a ...

A video published by The Advertiser appears to show Speirs sniffing powder from a plate inside a kitchen.

The Advertiser says the video was taken early on June 30 this year, when Speirs was still South Australian Liberal Party leader before his shock resignation on August 8.

The Advertiser published another image which it said was taken later that morning, showing Speirs in the kitchen near lines of white powder on a plate.

The Advertiser said that when it asked Speirs about the images, he said that he believed it was “a deep fake or elaborate hoax”.

“I would never have done that,” he said.

“No, I certainly did not. That is very troubling.

“I’m quite horrified by that. I’m really troubled by that.”

Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia, who replaced Speirs as Opposition Leader following a ballot last month, early this morning urged Speirs to take the matter to the authorities.

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

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

At a later press conference, Tarzia outlined events leading up to the publication of the explosive story which he said was “concerning to me as leader of the Liberal Party and also concerning to all of us in the party”.

“Before this news broke we actually had a really positive and productive meeting on Saturday morning down at his electorate,” Tarzia said.

“This footage emerging, this alleged footage, obviously came as a complete shock to me and from what I can see also a complete shock to him as well.

“Last night, I spoke to David Speirs expressing my support for David, my genuine concern as to his welfare, and my understanding is that he’s taken some time out today to deal with that issue.

“He’s assured me that he’s of the belief that the footage is that of a deep fake, so my suggestion to David is that if he believes that is the case, that he makes sure that he reports that to the authorities. I think he’s taken that on board and I know he’s talking to his professional sources and my understanding is that he’s considering that option.

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

Speirs returned from Scotland last week after attending a family wedding.

The former leader and MP for the seat of Black in Adelaide’s south has not publicly endorsed Tarzia as his replacement since he resigned saying he’d “had a gutful” of leaks and undermining.

The two did not speak for days following the resignation and Tarzia’s subsequent election, with Tarzia then leaving Speirs out of his new Shadow Cabinet.

Speirs has made numerous public comments about the South Australian Liberal Party and its administrative takeover by a resurgent Right faction.

In an opinion piece written for InDaily on August 22, Speirs wished Tarzia “all the best in his endeavours”.

“He thinks he can win the 2026 election. Many think he will be annihilated.”

Upon his return from Scotland last week, Speirs likened the party’s prospects at the 2026 state election as more akin to “climbing Mt Everest than Mt Lofty”, and on Friday said that while leader he had considered calling for a federal takeover of the troubled state branch.

Speirs did not respond to InDaily‘s request for comment this morning.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said this morning that the situation was “all a bit breathtaking”.

“The images that we see on the front page of The Advertiser this morning are clearly quite concerning but they are a matter that are exclusively for Vincent Tarzia and the South Australian division of the Liberal party,” he said.

“The dysfunction and the division and the chaos – that is a matter for Vincent Tarzia and the Liberal Party.

“There’s a whole range of questions for Vincent Tarzia to answer here and Mr Speirs and the Liberal party and I’ll just leave that to them and that will inform potentially what happens from here.”