South Australia’s Liberal Party has elected Vincent Tarzia as its new leader, replacing David Speirs, who announced his resignation last week.

Mr Tarzia defeated fellow contender Josh Teague at a Liberal party room meeting this morning.

South Australia’s Liberal Party has held a meeting to elect a new leader after David Speirs’s resignation.

‘We move forward’

Whetstone has emphasised party unity following the leadership vote.

“We’re talking about unity today. We’ve got a new leader, we’ll support him and we move forward.”

Liberal Deputy Leader John Gardner this morning announced he would not contest the leadership and “unite” behind a new leader.

“I confirm I won’t be a candidate for the leadership today,” Mr Gardner said in a statement.

John Gardner says he will not be contesting the Liberal leadership.(ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)

“As I have said we would since Thursday, our colleagues have been discussing how best we can put ourselves forward in the service of our state, and today we will choose a new leader.

“We will hold this government to account, and we will present a principled and optimistic vision for the future of our state.”

Mr Speirs, who took over the Liberal leadership from Steven Marshall after the party’s electoral defeat in 2022, said he has had a “gutful” and no longer has the energy to continue in the role.

David Speirs stepped down as the Liberal leader in South Australia last week.(ABC News: Carl Saville)

“I don’t have the energy to fight for a leadership that quite frankly in the current circumstances I just don’t want to pursue any more,” he said. 

The former Liberal leader said he would not be attending this morning’s party room meeting.