David Speirs
Quick Facts
Biography
David James Speirs (born 15 December 1984) is an Australian politician representing the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Bright for the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia since the 2014 state election.
Early life
Speirs was born in Galloway, Scotland, 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.
Professional career
He completed Bachelor of Laws with Honours at the University of Adelaide in 2008, and was a councillor and deputy mayor on the City of Marion council 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 in Australia between 2010 and 2014.
In 2012, Speirs was named Young Community Leader of the Year in the prestigious Channel 9 Young Achievers Awards.
Parliamentary career
Speirs entered the South Australian parliament in March 2014, defeating Labor's Transport Services Minister, Chloë Fox.
In October 2014, Speirs was appointed to the Parliament’s Economic and Finance Committee following the resignation of Iain Evans. During 2015 he served on the Standing Committee into e-cigarettes and in January 2016 he was elevated to Steven Marshall's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Cabinet Secretary. In January 2017, after a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle 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.
Personal life
Speirs is an active lifesaver at the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club and has a strong interest in health and fitness.
Speirs is a founding member of the Hallett Cove-based environmental group, Friends of the Lower Field River. Friends of the Lower Field River is a land care group established by Hallett Cove residents in 2006 to protect and care for the lower portion of the Field River and its environs.