The SA Politics Thread

[abc]

I'd prefer not to have coke addicts as our political leaders thanks.

I've seen nothing to suggest he's an addict.

I suspect a good proportion of pollies enjoy recreational drugs and/or alcohol on a regular basis. tbh I'd rather have someone who indulges in the odd line in his private downtime over someone who gets pissed out of his mind and spends 15 minutes sprawling on his back in the middle of Canberra whilst random passers by record him.

And if nothing else I suspect David Spears is a lot more fun on a night out than I ever had him down for.

sounds like he should cross the floor and join the labor party then...seems to be cut from your ilk

[Llessur2002]

sounds like he should cross the floor and join the labor party then...seems to be cut from your ilk

I'm not sure you can really determine my ilk from my comments on this forum, but feel free to give it a go.

All we know from the video is that David Speirs has quite probably had at least 1 line of cocaine at an undetermined point in the last few years. Maybe it was his first, maybe it was his 1000th. Who knows.

Maybe it affected his work-based performance. Maybe it didn't. Who knows. I do know that in watching Speirs on TV multiple times over the last couple of years the very last thing on my bingo card was that he was in any way as high as a kite.

I wouldn't have voted for the guy based on his policies and, to a lesser extent, leadership style and personality.

If a similar video of my intended choice at the next election surfaced I expect it would have next to zero impact on my voting intentions. That's based on my personal opinion of how much of an issue or non-issue seeing a grown adult do a single line of coke in a domestic setting is.

Other people might want to get their knickers all in a twist about it because drugs are bad m'kay. That's completely their prerogative.

[rev]

I'd prefer not to have coke addicts as our political leaders thanks.

I've seen nothing to suggest he's an addict.

I suspect a good proportion of pollies enjoy recreational drugs and/or alcohol on a regular basis. tbh I'd rather have someone who indulges in the odd line in his downtime at home over someone who gets pissed out of his mind and spends 15 minutes sprawling on his back in the middle of Canberra whilst random passers by record him.

And if nothing else I suspect David Speirs is a lot more fun on a night out than I ever had him down for.

Haha yeh I'm not buying the deep fake AI either.
Personally I couldn't care less if he does cocaine in his personal time particularly in his own home which those photos appear to be in. As long as he wasn't turning up to parliament high, or doing it while in parliament who gives a shit really.
Many Labor politicians smoke marijuana in their personal time, and again, who cares.

[rubberman]

I'd prefer not to have coke addicts as our political leaders thanks.

I've seen nothing to suggest he's an addict.

I suspect a good proportion of pollies enjoy recreational drugs and/or alcohol on a regular basis. tbh I'd rather have someone who indulges in the odd line in his downtime at home over someone who gets pissed out of his mind and spends 15 minutes sprawling on his back in the middle of Canberra whilst random passers by record him.

And if nothing else I suspect David Speirs is a lot more fun on a night out than I ever had him down for.

He says it's AI. We have no way of verifying it, so, I'd be wary of believing these sorts of allegations.

[[Shuz]]

I've heard enough stories about federal and state politicians doing drugs around the traps.

Honestly I couldn't give two shits what they do in their spare time. So long as they are sober for work. I don't blame them for indulging in such given the stress of the job and being away from family for extended periods of time.

What I'd like to hear for once is a politician who puts their hand up and admit to it. I'd respect them a lot more for it for being truthful. But hey, a politician whose honest? Pigs will fly before that happens. I'm so sick of them being these purists lecturing everyone else when they're just as guilty of it. We are human beings after all, it'd be nice to know that they're actually one.

No wonder voters trust the authenticity of people like Lambie or Katter. Whether you agree with their policies or not, they come across more genuine than the overwhelming majority of their colleagues. That I can respect.

[rev]

I've heard enough stories about federal and state politicians doing drugs around the traps.

Honestly I couldn't give two shits what they do in their spare time. So long as they are sober for work. I don't blame them for indulging in such given the stress of the job and being away from family for extended periods of time.

What I'd like to hear for once is a politician who puts their hand up and admit to it. I'd respect them a lot more for it for being truthful. But hey, a politician whose honest? Pigs will fly before that happens. I'm so sick of them being these purists lecturing everyone else when they're just as guilty of it. We are human beings after all, it'd be nice to know that they're actually one.

No wonder voters trust the authenticity of people like Lambie or Katter. Whether you agree with their policies or not, they come across more genuine than the overwhelming majority of their colleagues. That I can respect.

It's not just politics but the private sector particularly the finance & banking sector where cocaine use is rife.
I've known nurses and doctors who enjoyed the occasional snort in their down time too.

Anyhow, apparently a "well respected" forensic expert says the images/video are authentic.
So politicians are human like the rest of us, flaws and all. What a shocker lol.

I think the bigger issue is that this was leaked to the media. Clearly the factional fighting within is worse then anyone thinks. You usually see a leader knifed in the back and ousted, but this is a whole new low lol, leaking footage of your former leader doing lines.
Clearly someone's not happy that on his way out Spiers suggested the federal branch take over the SA branch.
If Liberal heavy weights like John Howard can leverage some influence on the SA branch and sort them out, we may soon have a decent opposition in this state and I wouldn't expect it to be lead by team Tarzia.

[abc]

I see you've been conditioned to think that hard drugs are normalised... probably by AFL players and various celebs. It doesn't end well for any of them.

[rev]

They are normalized, have been for a very long time. Doesn't mean I'm ok with drug use (or not for that matter). I personally don't care whose using drugs and what drugs they're using. If it doesn't affect me, why should I care, why should I make it my issue. It's none of my business.
Your accountant more then likely spends a few thousand dollars on cocaine for their Christmas party.

[abc]

They are normalized, have been for a very long time. Doesn't mean I'm ok with drug use (or not for that matter). I personally don't care whose using drugs and what drugs they're using. If it doesn't affect me, why should I care, why should I make it my issue. It's none of my business.
Your accountant more then likely spends a few thousand dollars on cocaine for their Christmas party.

the government spend our money, they make laws that affect us, they make major policy decisions that affect our lives, ...I don't want some coke addled scumbag with that responsibility

[SBD]

They are normalized, have been for a very long time. Doesn't mean I'm ok with drug use (or not for that matter). I personally don't care whose using drugs and what drugs they're using. If it doesn't affect me, why should I care, why should I make it my issue. It's none of my business.
Your accountant more then likely spends a few thousand dollars on cocaine for their Christmas party.

the government spend our money, they make laws that affect us, they make major policy decisions that affect our lives, ...I don't want some coke addled scumbag with that responsibility

For once, I agree with abc. There's also he issue that our lawmakers should not be breaking our laws. If they believe doing cocaine at home should be legal, then the are the people with the power to make it so.

We've had questions over misuse of travel allowances, issues with a police minister being caught speeding, and another one caught with child pornography.

People seem more hung up over who leaked the video than whether it is true or fake. That's wrong - if it's true, then Speirs should be charged and convicted, and whoever was holding the camera charged with being some kind of accessory. If it's fake, then we have a real life example of the damage this kind of thing can do to an adult man, which should be a clear example of the damage similar actions do to female teenagers.

We can't blame "the AI". It's not acting of its own volition. A computer might be helping to make a "good" video, but there's a human somewhere who decided to make the video and who decided to make it public. The need to be found and have the law book thrown at them. If they've done nothing illegal, the laws clearly need to be tightened - before the next election for this kind of political shenanigans, and ASAP for the protection of children, young adults and everyone else. Banning the technology won't make it go away any more than guns and drugs are banned. Understanding and banning its use is needed.

[Llessur2002]

if it's true, then Speirs should be charged and convicted, and whoever was holding the camera charged with being some kind of accessory.

Despite it being obvious as to what was going on, I don't think there's any actual evidence a crime was committed - let alone anything solid enough to charge anyone with anything.

The video provides just as much evidence that they were snorting baking soda or sherbet as it does cocaine.

[abc]

if it's true, then Speirs should be charged and convicted, and whoever was holding the camera charged with being some kind of accessory.

Despite it being obvious as to what was going on, I don't think there's any actual evidence a crime was committed - let alone anything solid enough to charge anyone with anything.

The video provides just as much evidence that they were snorting baking soda or sherbet as it does cocaine.

'cos snorting baking soda and sherbet is something grown men do

Seriously... he's used the 'deep fake' excuse already which should be incriminating in itself.

That his mental state is deluded enough to believe this will fly suggests he's at addict level. That kind of delusion leads to deluded policy decisions also. (It wouldn't surprise me if a significant percentage of the political leaders in the EU are on coke.)

Coincidences don't happen in politics either and I would assume many knew this was going to come out when he stepped down as party leader.

[Llessur2002]

'cos snorting baking soda and sherbet is something grown men do

Obviously not, but I doubt anyone would be able to get any sort of charge laid on that video alone - nor would they waste time trying.

[rev]

Is there anything to suggest he was high while in parliament or otherwise carrying out his duties as an MP?
If there isn't, people need to move on.

[abc]

Is there anything to suggest he was high while in parliament or otherwise carrying out his duties as an MP?
If there isn't, people need to move on.

addicts don't need to be high to be unhinged, it affects their everyday life decisions

we're not talking about cannabis here