ABC News Australia
In short:
South Australian police say former Liberal leader David Speirs has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance.
The member for the SA state seat of Black said he was arrested and questioned by police after “allegations of illicit substance use” at his home emerged several weeks ago.
What’s next?
Mr Speirs says he will fight to clear his name “of any allegations”, and says he intends to resign from parliament in the next sitting week later this month.
South Australia’s former Liberal leader has been charged with drug offences and will face court, police have confirmed.
In a statement, SA Police said David Speirs was arrested at Berri on September 26 before police searched his home.
He has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance in early August, police said.
The release of the police statement was in response to a post on social media earlier on Saturday, in which Mr Speirs — who on Saturday announced his intentions to step down from parliament — confirmed he had been arrested and his home raided in the wake of News Corp’s publication of a video last month.
The member for Black said he would fight to clear his name of any allegations.
“Since allegations of illicit substance use at my home became public, my home has been raided by armed police, and I was arrested and I was questioned,” Mr Speirs said in a video statement on Facebook.
Police have since confirmed Mr Speirs will face court.
“As a result of the public statement made on social media by MP David Speirs in which he reveals he had been arrested, police can confirm that on September 26, 2024, Mr Speirs was arrested at Berri and charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance between August 2 and 3 and on August 9,” a police spokesperson said.
“Mr Speirs was given police bail and will appear in court at a later date.”
In an earlier statement, police said they searched a property on Strickland Road at Kingston Park on September 26 “as part of an ongoing investigation”.
Read more at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-05/david-speirs-confirms-arrest-and-police-raid-on-his-home/104436784
