David James Speirs (born December 15, 1984) is an Australian politician. He has been a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

member of the

South Australian House of Assembly The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide. Overview The House of Assembly was creat ...

since the 2014 state election and leader of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

since 19 April 2022. He represented

Bright Bright may refer to: Common meanings *Bright, an adjective meaning giving off or reflecting illumination; see Brightness *Bright, an adjective meaning someone with intelligence People * Bright (surname) * Bright (given name) *Bright, the stage na ...

until 2018 and then

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

following a redistribution of electoral boundaries. Speirs served as the Minister for Environment and Water in the Marshall Ministry between March 2018 and March 2022.

Background and early career

Speirs was born in

Galloway Galloway ( ; sco, Gallowa; la, Gallovidia) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. A native or i ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, where he was schooled at Kirkcolm Primary School and Stranraer Academy. He emigrated to Australia with his parents and two younger brothers at the age of 17 in 2002. In 2008 he graduated from the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). He was elected as a councillor and deputy mayor for the Marion City Council, serving between 2010 and 2014. He worked in senior and principal policy development positions within the state Cabinet Office, in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, between 2008 and 2014. Speirs was a national director of the

Duke of Edinburgh's Award The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (commonly abbreviated DofE) is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, that has since expanded to 144 nations. The awards recognise adolescents and young ...

in Australia between 2010 and 2014. In 2012, Speirs was named Young Community Leader of the Year in the Channel 9 Young Achievers Awards.

Parliamentary career

Speirs entered the South Australian Parliament in March 2014, defeating

Chloë Fox Chloë Catienne Fox (born 22 February 1971) is an Australian politician who represented the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Bright from 2006 to 2014 for the Labor Party. Personal life Fox is the daughter of Australian children's auth ...

Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

's Minister for Transport Services. In October 2014, Speirs was appointed to the Parliament's Economic and Finance Committee following the resignation of

Iain Evans Iain Frederick Evans (born 18 April 1959) is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2006 to 2007. Early life Evans attended Heathfield Primary and subsequently He ...

. In January 2016 he was elevated to

Steven Marshall Steven Spence Marshall (born 21 January 1968) is an Australian politician who served as the 46th premier of South Australia between 2018 and 2022. He has been a member of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia in the ...

's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Cabinet Secretary. In January 2017, Speirs ascended to the front bench as Shadow Minister for the Environment. In October 2015, Speirs launched 'Beach for All', a crowd-funded project in partnership with Seacliff Surf Life Saving Club to make Seacliff beach South Australia's first wheelchair accessible beach. The Beach for All access mat was launched on Australia Day 2016. In March 2018, following the election of the

Marshall Government Steven Spence Marshall (born 21 January 1968) is an Australian politician who served as the 46th premier of South Australia between 2018 and 2022. He has been a member of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia in the ...

at the South Australian Election, Speirs was sworn in as Minister for Environment and Water. During his time as Minister, Speirs oversaw significant reform in the portfolio such as the opening up of South Australia’s reservoirs for recreational access, the establishment of Green Adelaide and regional landscape boards, significant reduction of water bills and an increase in the land protected as national parks including the creation of Glenthorne National Park in Adelaide’s southern suburbs and Australia’s biggest national park at the

Simpson Desert The Simpson Desert is a large area of dry, red sandy plain and dunes in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland in central Australia. It is the fourth-largest Deserts of Australia, Australian desert, with an area of . The desert ...

. In March 2021, legislation introduced by Speirs meant South Australia became the first state in Australia to ban single-use plastics. The first items to be banned were single-use plastic straws, cutlery and drink stirrers with other items such as polystyrene containers phased out in March 2022. In November 2021, Speirs contested the deputy party leader and

Deputy Premier A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...

ballot, but lost to

Dan van Holst Pellekaan Daniel Cornelius van Holst Pellekaan is a former Australian politician, representing the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Stuart for the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2010 state election until he l ...

. After outgoing

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

resigned as leader of the Liberal Party, Speirs was elected leader on 19 April 2022, becoming South Australia's 44th Leader of the Opposition.

Personal life

Speirs is an active lifesaver at the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club and has a strong interest in health and fitness. He is a founding member of the Hallett Cove-based environmental group, Friends of the Lower Field River; a land care group established by Hallett Cove residents in 2006 to protect and care for the lower portion of the

Field River The Field River is an urban watercourse located in the southern suburbs of Adelaide in the Australian state of South Australia. Course and features Part of the Onkaparinga River catchment that drains the western slopes of the Mount Lofty Range ...

and its environs. Speirs has completed the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and has completed all three levels.

References

External links

David Speirs MPDavid Speirs, Member for Bright
{{DEFAULTSORT:Speirs, David 1984 births Living people Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of South Australia University of Adelaide alumni People educated at Stranraer Academy Scottish emigrants to Australia 21st-century Australian politicians Deputy mayors of places in Australia South Australian local councillors

Background and early career

Parliamentary career

Personal life

See also

References

External links