Rob Kerin
Encyclopedia
Robert Gerard Kerin was the Liberal
Premier of South Australia from 22 October 2001 to 5 March 2002. He also served as Deputy Premier of South Australia
to John Olsen
from 7 July 1998 until he became premier upon Olsen's resignation.
Born to parents Maurice and Molly Kerin in Crystal Brook
, Kerin attended the Adelaide Catholic secondary school
, Sacred Heart College Senior. He was elected to parliament in 1993 as the member for the mid-north rural electoral district of Frome
. Between 1995 and 2001 he held various ministries in the Dean Brown
and John Olsen
governments: Primary Industries, Natural Resources and Regional Development, Minerals and Energy, State Development, Tourism and Multicultural Affairs.
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.
Kerin remained Liberal leader, and hence Leader of the Opposition. His approach to leadership and parliamentary tactics was more congenial than usual; this led to both praise from those who saw him as a 'nice guy' and criticism from those who believed his style was ineffective compared to the media savvy and aggressive parliamentary tactics of the Rann government.
At the 2006 state election the Liberals were soundly defeated, suffering a statewide swing against them of about 7.7 percent. Following that loss, Kerin stood down as Liberal leader, but remained in parliament. He was succeeded as Liberal leader by Iain Evans
.
In 2007, Kerin announced he would not be seeking re-election at the 2010 election
. Kerin announced on 11 November 2008 that he would resign from parliament immediately rather than at the next election. This triggered a January 2009 by-election
. Independent Geoff Brock
won the seat in a very close contest.
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
Premier of South Australia from 22 October 2001 to 5 March 2002. He also served as Deputy Premier of South Australia
Deputy Premier of South Australia
The Deputy Premier of South Australia is the second-most senior officer in the Government of South Australia. The Deputy Premiership is a ministerial portfolio, and the Deputy Premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Premier....
to John Olsen
John Olsen
John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...
from 7 July 1998 until he became premier upon Olsen's resignation.
Born to parents Maurice and Molly Kerin in Crystal Brook
Crystal Brook, South Australia
Crystal Brook is a town in South Australia, named after the spring-fed creek next to which it was founded. It is north of Adelaide and in 2006 had a population of 1,185.Crystal Brook is situated on Goyder's Line near the border of two climate systems...
, Kerin attended the Adelaide Catholic secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, Sacred Heart College Senior. He was elected to parliament in 1993 as the member for the mid-north rural electoral district of Frome
Electoral district of Frome
Frome is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Edward Charles Frome, the third surveyor-general of South Australia. The electorate is based around the industrial city of Port Pirie and the agriculture areas of Clare and Gilbert...
. Between 1995 and 2001 he held various ministries in the Dean Brown
Dean Brown
Dean Craig Brown, AO was the Liberal Premier of South Australia between 14 December 1993 and 28 November 1996, and Deputy Premier of South Australia between 22 October 2001 and 5 March 2002 to Rob Kerin.-Political career:...
and John Olsen
John Olsen
John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...
governments: Primary Industries, Natural Resources and Regional Development, Minerals and Energy, State Development, Tourism and Multicultural Affairs.
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
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
. While Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
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
Peter Lewis (politician)
Ivan Peter Lewis is an Australian politician. Lewis was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly between 1979 and 2006 in the electorates of Hammond, Ridley, Murray-Mallee and Mallee. Between 1979 and 2000 he was in the House as a Liberal member. From 2000 until 2006 he served as an...
, who had successfully run for election as an independent after quitting the Liberal Party, announced he would support Labor, making Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
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.
Kerin remained Liberal leader, and hence Leader of the Opposition. His approach to leadership and parliamentary tactics was more congenial than usual; this led to both praise from those who saw him as a 'nice guy' and criticism from those who believed his style was ineffective compared to the media savvy and aggressive parliamentary tactics of the Rann government.
At the 2006 state election the Liberals were soundly defeated, suffering a statewide swing against them of about 7.7 percent. Following that loss, Kerin stood down as Liberal leader, but remained in parliament. He was succeeded as Liberal leader by Iain Evans
Iain Evans
Iain Frederick Evans is a South Australian Liberal Party politician. He studied at Heathfield High School and gained a Bachelor Degree for Building Technology from the SA Institute of Technology . Prior to entering politics he managed a family-owned building and retailing business...
.
In 2007, Kerin announced he would not be seeking re-election at the 2010 election
Next South Australian state election
The 2010 South Australian state election elected members to the 52nd Parliament of South Australia on 20 March 2010. All seats in the House of Assembly or lower house, whose current members were elected at the 2006 election, and half the seats in the Legislative Council or upper house, last filled...
. Kerin announced on 11 November 2008 that he would resign from parliament immediately rather than at the next election. This triggered a January 2009 by-election
Frome state by-election, 2009
A by-election was held for the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Frome on 17 January 2009. This was triggered by the resignation of former Premier and state Liberal MHA Rob Kerin...
. Independent Geoff Brock
Geoff Brock
Geoffrey Graeme "Geoff" Brock is a South Australian politician, representing the seat of Frome in the South Australian House of Assembly as an Independent, after a shock win at the 2009 Frome state by-election, defeating the Liberal candidate Terry Boylan. He had a high local profile prior to the...
won the seat in a very close contest.