Former SA opposition leader David Speirs convicted and fined over drug supply charges
Former South Australian opposition leader David Speirs has lost a bid to avoid being convicted over drug supply charges.
Speirs pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying a controlled substance to another person on separate occasions in August last year.
The 40-year-old's lawyer previously asked the court not to record a conviction so that Speirs could travel overseas.
But today the Adelaide Magistrates Court fined the former Liberal leader $9,000 and recorded two convictions.
He has also been ordered to undertake 37-and-a-half hours of community service.
Speirs was arrested at Berri, in the state's Riverland, in September last year.
His arrest came after a video, published by News Corp, showed the former MP snorting from a plate. The charges do not relate to the video.
The former Liberal leader resigned from parliament after the charges were laid.
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"There is no evidence that the settlement process, including the legal advice provided, who was present at the mediation, or the amount, was subject to any improper influence by any Commonwealth public official," the anti-corruption commission's statement reads. "To the contrary, the evidence obtained reflected a process that was based on independent external legal advice, without any inappropriate intervention by any minister of either government. "There is therefore no corruption issue." The anti-corruption watchdog has made a habit of making statements on issues that are well publicised, often finding it in the public interest to disclose findings of preliminary investigations in these cases. The commission said it had analysed thousands of documents provided by the relevant departments and considered aspects of the legal advice, mediation and settlement amount. It found that decisions made on the settlement were based on advice from independent external solicitors and experienced senior and junior counsel, and that there "was no material difference" in the initial advice provided to the Coalition government in 2022, compared to updated advice provided to Labor when it took power. The commission also found former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus approved the settlement in accordance with the departmental advice. It found that a mediation conference with Ms Higgins which was wrapped up within a day was "unexceptional". "It was the culmination of a process which took approximately 12 months," its statement reads. "None of this is unusual for a non-litigated personal injury claim." A multimillion-dollar settlement payment between Brittany Higgins and the Commonwealth involved no corrupt conduct, the federal watchdog has declared. The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday confirmed it had conducted an extensive preliminary investigation into the $2.445 million settlement following "scrutiny and speculation". It also revealed the settlement figure was less than the maximum amount recommended by external independent legal advice. The Commonwealth agreed to the settlement - without admitting any liability - with Ms Higgins following her alleged rape inside Parliament House in 2019. She received $400,000 for "hurt, distress and humiliation" and $1.48 million relating to her loss of earning capacity. In 2023, The Australian reported that former Liberal senator Linda Reynolds had raised the issue with the anti-corruption commission. Ms Higgins worked in Senator Reynolds' office at the time of the alleged rape. "There is no evidence that the settlement process, including the legal advice provided, who was present at the mediation, or the amount, was subject to any improper influence by any Commonwealth public official," the anti-corruption commission's statement reads. "To the contrary, the evidence obtained reflected a process that was based on independent external legal advice, without any inappropriate intervention by any minister of either government. "There is therefore no corruption issue." The anti-corruption watchdog has made a habit of making statements on issues that are well publicised, often finding it in the public interest to disclose findings of preliminary investigations in these cases. The commission said it had analysed thousands of documents provided by the relevant departments and considered aspects of the legal advice, mediation and settlement amount. It found that decisions made on the settlement were based on advice from independent external solicitors and experienced senior and junior counsel, and that there "was no material difference" in the initial advice provided to the Coalition government in 2022, compared to updated advice provided to Labor when it took power. The commission also found former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus approved the settlement in accordance with the departmental advice. It found that a mediation conference with Ms Higgins which was wrapped up within a day was "unexceptional". "It was the culmination of a process which took approximately 12 months," its statement reads. "None of this is unusual for a non-litigated personal injury claim." A multimillion-dollar settlement payment between Brittany Higgins and the Commonwealth involved no corrupt conduct, the federal watchdog has declared. The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday confirmed it had conducted an extensive preliminary investigation into the $2.445 million settlement following "scrutiny and speculation". It also revealed the settlement figure was less than the maximum amount recommended by external independent legal advice. The Commonwealth agreed to the settlement - without admitting any liability - with Ms Higgins following her alleged rape inside Parliament House in 2019. She received $400,000 for "hurt, distress and humiliation" and $1.48 million relating to her loss of earning capacity. In 2023, The Australian reported that former Liberal senator Linda Reynolds had raised the issue with the anti-corruption commission. Ms Higgins worked in Senator Reynolds' office at the time of the alleged rape. "There is no evidence that the settlement process, including the legal advice provided, who was present at the mediation, or the amount, was subject to any improper influence by any Commonwealth public official," the anti-corruption commission's statement reads. "To the contrary, the evidence obtained reflected a process that was based on independent external legal advice, without any inappropriate intervention by any minister of either government. "There is therefore no corruption issue." The anti-corruption watchdog has made a habit of making statements on issues that are well publicised, often finding it in the public interest to disclose findings of preliminary investigations in these cases. The commission said it had analysed thousands of documents provided by the relevant departments and considered aspects of the legal advice, mediation and settlement amount. It found that decisions made on the settlement were based on advice from independent external solicitors and experienced senior and junior counsel, and that there "was no material difference" in the initial advice provided to the Coalition government in 2022, compared to updated advice provided to Labor when it took power. The commission also found former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus approved the settlement in accordance with the departmental advice. It found that a mediation conference with Ms Higgins which was wrapped up within a day was "unexceptional". "It was the culmination of a process which took approximately 12 months," its statement reads. "None of this is unusual for a non-litigated personal injury claim." A multimillion-dollar settlement payment between Brittany Higgins and the Commonwealth involved no corrupt conduct, the federal watchdog has declared. The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday confirmed it had conducted an extensive preliminary investigation into the $2.445 million settlement following "scrutiny and speculation". It also revealed the settlement figure was less than the maximum amount recommended by external independent legal advice. The Commonwealth agreed to the settlement - without admitting any liability - with Ms Higgins following her alleged rape inside Parliament House in 2019. She received $400,000 for "hurt, distress and humiliation" and $1.48 million relating to her loss of earning capacity. In 2023, The Australian reported that former Liberal senator Linda Reynolds had raised the issue with the anti-corruption commission. Ms Higgins worked in Senator Reynolds' office at the time of the alleged rape. "There is no evidence that the settlement process, including the legal advice provided, who was present at the mediation, or the amount, was subject to any improper influence by any Commonwealth public official," the anti-corruption commission's statement reads. "To the contrary, the evidence obtained reflected a process that was based on independent external legal advice, without any inappropriate intervention by any minister of either government. "There is therefore no corruption issue." The anti-corruption watchdog has made a habit of making statements on issues that are well publicised, often finding it in the public interest to disclose findings of preliminary investigations in these cases. The commission said it had analysed thousands of documents provided by the relevant departments and considered aspects of the legal advice, mediation and settlement amount. It found that decisions made on the settlement were based on advice from independent external solicitors and experienced senior and junior counsel, and that there "was no material difference" in the initial advice provided to the Coalition government in 2022, compared to updated advice provided to Labor when it took power. The commission also found former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus approved the settlement in accordance with the departmental advice. It found that a mediation conference with Ms Higgins which was wrapped up within a day was "unexceptional". "It was the culmination of a process which took approximately 12 months," its statement reads. "None of this is unusual for a non-litigated personal injury claim."
