A video appearing to show former SA Liberal leader David Speirs leaning over and snorting from a plate has been published online. But Mr Speirs has reportedly told News Corp it is a deepfake and has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Mr Speirs's successor as Liberal leader, Vincent Tarzia, said that if the video is fake, Mr Speirs should "refer it to the appropriate authorities".

The video was published online by News Corp, which has reported it was filmed inside Mr Speirs's southern suburbs home in June, at a time when Mr Speirs was still party leader. While the video itself does not clearly show any white powder being inhaled from the plate, a separate photograph published by The Advertiser of Mr Speirs near what appears to be the same plate shows several lines of a white substance.

He has strenuously denied wrongdoing, reportedly telling News Corp it is a "deepfake" or artificially generated video, and describing it as "very troubling". "That was certainly not me," Mr Speirs told Advertiser journalists in an exchange outside his home captured on film. "That is very strange … I would never have done that. I'm quite horrified by that. I'm really troubled by that."

Opposition leader Vincent Tarzia today said he was made aware of the video over the weekend but had not seen it until it was published by The Advertiser, and that the footage had come as a "complete shock" to both men. Mr Tarzia said he had spoken to Mr Speirs and "he's assured me that he's of the belief that the footage is that of a deepfake". "So my suggestion to David is that if he believes that that is the case, that he makes sure that he reports that to the authorities and I think he's taken that on board," he said on Tuesday.

Mr Tarzia said he had asked Mr Speirs "point blank" whether the footage was fake. "He's assured me that he's of the belief that the footage is that of a deepfake," Mr Tarzia said. "He made it very clear that he's very firmly of the view that this footage is fake and I've got no other reason to doubt that at this point in time. I made it very clear to him that if this footage is fake that it should be reported to the relevant authorities and that's what I'm hoping he does."

Mr Tarzia said while he was not aware of any "hesitation" in making a report of that kind, his understanding was that Mr Speirs was "considering that option".

Mr Speirs has not responded to the ABC's requests for comment. Mr Speirs resigned as Liberal leader late last month and was replaced by Mr Tarzia who, in an initial statement, about the video said that, if it had been faked, Mr Speirs should "refer it to the appropriate authorities".

The Advertiser reported the video was recorded at 4.12am on June 30, while Mr Speirs was still party leader, in the kitchen of his Kingston Park home in suburban Adelaide. It reported metadata showed the still image was taken at 6.32am, allegedly showing Mr Speirs at the same bench next to a plate with seven lines of white powder.

The Liberal MP said he "would never have done that" and was "quite horrified".  The newspaper did not cite a source for the video and image but said it had been obtained after it was passed to a third party.

Mr Speirs, who returned earlier in September from Scotland after attending a family wedding, said he was surprised he was not named in Mr Tarzia's shadow cabinet. He has said he's undecided if he will recontest his seat of Black at the 2025 state election.

Deepfake Technology's Growing Impact on Politics

The emergence of deepfake technology has raised significant concerns about its potential to manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in political figures. Deepfakes, which are synthetic media that manipulate images or videos to create realistic-looking fakes, have become increasingly sophisticated, making it challenging to differentiate them from genuine content.

In the realm of politics, deepfakes can be used to spread disinformation, damage reputations, and influence elections. The potential for deepfakes to be used for malicious purposes has raised calls for regulations and safeguards to combat their spread.

A Controversial Claim in a Time of Political Uncertainty

Mr. Speirs' claim that the video is a deepfake comes at a time of political uncertainty in South Australia. The Liberal Party has been grappling with internal divisions and leadership changes in recent months. Mr. Speirs's resignation as leader in August followed a series of controversies and internal conflicts within the party.

The controversy surrounding the video has further fueled speculation about the state of the Liberal Party and its ability to recover from recent setbacks. The party's future in the upcoming state election remains uncertain, and the controversy surrounding Mr. Speirs may further complicate its efforts to regain public trust.