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........

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