Page "Rob Kerin" Paragraph 2

Kerin became Liberal leader and premier after Olsen's forced resignation, less than six months before the 2002 state election.

The election resulted in a hung parliament.

While Labor came up only one seat short of a majority, the Liberals won a bare majority of the two-party vote.

Kerin looked set to return as premier due to the support of a number of conservative independents for the Liberal Party.

In a surprise move, former Liberal candidate Peter Lewis, who had successfully run for election as an independent after quitting the Liberal Party, announced he would support Labor, making Mike Rann the premier-elect of South Australia.

Kerin, however, refused to resign as premier, leaving the state in political limbo until he was defeated in the legislature on 5 March.