lindsay thompson, who led the liberal party to a defeat at the 1982 election with a 17-seat swing against it, resigned the leadership of the party on 5 november 1982. he was succeeded by jeff kennett. at the election, the incumbent labor party government led by john cain maintained its electoral support, though the liberal party did increase the number of seats. it was the first time since federation that a labor government had been reelected in victoria.