Mrs Hancock was first elected to Shoalhaven City Council as a Ward 3 Alderman on September 26, 1987 and following 17 years of service in local government, was elected as the first female member for the state seat of South Coast, an electorate that this year, has existed for 90 years.

She went on to be elected the first female Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly in 2011, following a Liberal landslide in that year’s general election.

“I’m honoured to have been able to serve the South Coast and my community,” she said.

“It’s hard to believe it has been 30 years of public service.

“It would not be possible without the support of the community.”

Mrs Hancock decided to run for council in 1987 to fight for improved facilities at Ulladulla pool.

“The community and I had campaigned for nearly 10 years,” she said.

“When the motion for the centre upgrade came before council, it was a close call.

“I had been lobbying other councillors and thankfully the motion was passed, even if it was by only one vote, to the delight of a packed public gallery.”

She rates that as one of her greatest achievements on council.

“When I look back on that time I am very proud I was able to achieve that for local residents,” she said.

Upgrades to the Sussex Inlet Aquatic Centre complex, significant streetscaping works along the main street of Milton, as well as upgrades to Milton Theatre and the construction of the Rural Fire Service Emergency Centre on Albatross Road following the disastrous bushfires in 2001-2002 were also significant highlights.

In 2003 she decided to move to state politics to fight for investment in the Princes Highway.

“Campaigning against an incumbent member, Wayne Smith, was a gruelling process,” she said.

“But I knew the only way to see the investment in the region that was so desperately needed was to guarantee the South Coast had a voice in state parliament.

“We needed a voice that would advocate for the upgrade of the Princes Highway, better hospitals, encourage tourism and support small business.”

That year Mrs Hancock was the only Liberal candidate in the entire state to win a Labor held seat and the first Liberal to take a seat off Labor since 1988.

“It was truly surreal,” she said.

“Being in opposition was tough. However over eight years we won some significant battles, including the Conjola Mountain deviation, multi-million dollar upgrades to Ulladulla High School and Milton Public School, upgrades to Milton and Nowra court houses, and a new ambulance station at Sussex Inlet.

“From 2011 under the Liberal government we started to see significant investment in the South Coast and work start on major infrastructure projects that had been needed for so long.

“To date we have seen $1.6 billion committed in upgrades to the Princes Highway, including the $72 million South Nowra duplication, the $21 million Termeil Creek realignment, as well as work to the north at Gerringong, Berry and the Berry to Bomaderry upgrade, and the $58 million Burrill Lake Bridge replacement that will open to traffic within the next week.”

However, the one disappointment is the time it is taking to secure a site for the long promised Bay and Basin Police Station, something she continues to “strongly work towards”.

She said the opening of the $35 million Shoalhaven Cancer Care Centre with its two linear accelerators in 2013 meaning cancer patients no longer had to make the journey to Wollongong and Sydney for treatment was a significant win for the community.

“It was also a testament to local residents who fought long and hard and raised money for that facility,” she said.

“Shoalhaven District Hospital has also undergone significant improvements with recent renovations including a new emergency department, a dedicated aged care unit and an endoscopy theatre.”

A $11.6 million investment saw the construction and completion of the Sub Acute Mental Health Unit, while plans continue for the much-needed multi-level car park.  

$4.6 million has also been spent on a Renal and Palliative Care Unit at Milton Hospital.

As a former teacher education has always been a focus and she has secured funds to improve a number of South Coast schools with a multi-million dollar upgrade of Ulladulla High School, the installation of a security fence at St Georges Basin Primary School and works at Nowra and also Shoalhaven high schools.

The next project in her sights is securing the former Shoalhaven Anglican School site as an additional high school for the families of the southern Shoalhaven.

Other successful battles include saving of the Milton Library, recognition of Korean War Veterans who served from 1953 to 1956, saving Sussex Inlet Cinema from being sold and stopping the proposal to create a waste facility at Tomerong.

“There are so many things I could list from over the 30 years that stand out in my memory as being wins for the South Coast, moments I feel privileged to have been a part of,” she said.

“But not a single one of them would have been possible without the support and involvement of the local communities and residents.

“The community spirit on the South Coast is inspiring and is what drives me to continue to better our region.”

1987: Elected Ward Three Alderman – elected to Shoalhaven City Council on Max Atkins’ council ticket on September 26.

1991: Elected Ward Three Alderman.

1995: Elected Ward Three Councillor – Shelley was elected as well as number two on her ticket Josi Young.

1999: Elected Ward Three Councillor.

2000: Elected Deputy Mayor – served as Deputy Mayor of Shoalhaven City Council between 2000 and 2001.

2003: Elected Member for South Coast – the first female member in the seat's history.  Shelley was elected with 52.8 per cent of the two party preferred vote, the only liberal candidate to win a seat from the governing Labor Party, and the first to do so since 1988.

2006: Upgrade of Ulladulla High School – in Shelley’s first term Ulladulla High School was not in her electorate (it was in the electorate of Bega). Shelley had a clear affinity with the school, having been a founding staff member in 1976 and an English, history and drama teacher for 27 years. Following her election in 2003, she took up the cause to secure funding to upgrade the school. It was not simply a campaign to build a new school, Ulladulla High had an extensive maintenance backlog – over three days there were two incidents where raw sewage overflowed into the school playground and into the stormwater pipes. The school contained at one stage 32 demountable classrooms, most placed on sporting fields and playgrounds, restricting where students could play and undertake sport. At the time the school housed more than 1250 students using facilities intended for a maximum of 880. In 2006, $27.5 million was secured in a partnership between the Commonwealth and State governments. The three stage development, with the third and final stage opened in July 2014, included a new three storey building known as ‘Q’ block which provided 20 classrooms, new staff areas, visual arts, multi-media and performance workshops, general learning spaces, store rooms, staff studies, and also included a lift, covered link ways and security fencing. Blocks G, K, M, F and E as well as the Library and Administration blocks were all refurbished with a new multi-purpose hall built with an adjoining COLA.

2007: Re-elected Member for South Coast – following a redistribution which saw Shelley lose areas in the north of her electorate including North Nowra, Bomaderry and Cambewarra, her margin was reduced from 2.6 per cent to 1.9 per cent. Shelley won the electorate against Labor's Michelle Miran with 57.8 per cent of the two party preferred vote.  The first Member for South Coast to be re-elected to a second term in the seat since John Hatton.

2008: Save Sussex Inlet Cinema – in May that year, Shelley joined  the Sussex community, calling on Shoalhaven City Council to abandon plans to sell the Sussex Inlet Cinema complex. Council called for expressions of interest for the sale of lease of the facility, generating overwhelming concern and anger in the community. The community facility was an icon of the town, constructed through a community effort in 1946 and donated to the community. It is used not only for the screening of movies, but by multiple community organisations for over 40 years. Over 1000 residents signed a petition against the sale and the campaign peaked when Shelley contracted a bus (out of her own pocket), transporting Sussex residents to the general council meeting which over 200 people attended.

2008: Korean War Veteran Recognition – veterans of the Korean War who had served post the July 27, 1953 armistice, the date generally and incorrectly recorded as being the end of the “Forgotten War”, were not recognised upon return to Australia.  Despite that armistice, hostilities did not cease and Australians continued to fight in the conflict until 1956. But due to the technicality of the armistice signing, appropriate medals were not awarded to those who served between 1953 and 1956. In excess of 9000 violations of the ceasefire occurred after the armistice and even today hostilities remain suspended. Approximately 2000 to 3000 Korean War veterans were waiting for appropriate recognition for their years of service in Korea between 1953 and 1956. Shelley campaigned at both state and federal levels for their recognition alongside the South Coast Korean War Veterans of Australia for a number of years. An Australia-wide service review was established in 2005 that travelled throughout Australia, taking submissions from veterans and interested parties. In late 2008 the Korean Post Armistice Service Review announced that post-armistice service would be recognised. The decision resulted in the awarding of the Australian General Service Medal – Korea and the Returned from Active Service Badge to those who served in Korea after 1953 and who either lost their lives or who had not been recognised for 50 years for their significant contributions and sacrifices.

2009: Tomerong Tip – on August 26 Shoalhaven City Council received a development application to use an existing shale quarry at Tomerong as a waste facility.  The community had less than a month to object to the proposal however more than 750 objections were received – a record at the time for Shoalhaven City Council. Shelley joined the ShUTip (Shoalhaven’s Unwanted Tip) group in their fight against this proposal, attending public meetings, lodging objections, encouraging local residents to get involved in the campaign and presenting to the Joint Regional Planning Panel. On July 21, 2010, with more than 100 local residents she rallied outside Parliament House, meeting the then Leader of the Opposition in Wollongong who offered a promise to overturn laws and give decision-making powers back to local councils. On October 21, 2010 the Joint Regional Planning Panel unanimously refused the proposal voting 3 to 0.

2011: Re-elected Member for South Coast and elected as Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly – sweeping to government, the coalition under the leadership of former Premier Barry O'Farrell won a historic 69 seats in the 93 seat Legislative Assembly.  Shelley won the seat of South Coast with 70.4 per cent of the two party preferred vote – a record liberal vote for the region.  Following the election Shelley received a call from Premier-elect O'Farrell informing her that she was his nominee for the role of Speaker. She went on to be elected unanimously the first female speaker in the Legislative Assembly's 155 year history.

2014: Save Milton Library – In September, Shoalhaven City Council voted to close the Milton Library following a decision by the former council in 2009 to review the library’s services 18 months after the Ulladulla Library redevelopment was complete. This review was brought forward by six months. With a community in uproar, Shelley led the campaign to save the library, even leading an illegal march down the Princes Highway with between 250–300 people protesting against the proposed closure. In December 2014, council’s policy and resources committee recommended council maintain the current level of service at Milton Library following a commitment by Shelley to provide $30,000 in annual funding for four years. The library has gone from strength-to-strength and recently extended its hours to accommodate increased visitations.

2015: Re-elected Member for South Coast and Speaker – her fourth term as Member for South Coast with a two party preferred vote of 59.6 per cent. She was also re-elected unanimously to serve as Speaker during the term of the then Premier Mike Baird’s coalition government.

2017: Burrill Lake Bridge Replacement – for more than 25 years the local community have championed for the replacement of the current Burrill Lake crossing. The first bridge across the lake was constructed in 1889 and made completely from timber. This structure was replaced in 1958 by a low-level concrete bridge. Some believed that the causeway contributed to the siltation of the lake, the bridge was also prone to flooding causing road closures and delays on the Princes Highway. Being 60-years-old the bridge would have required significant maintenance in the coming years to ensure its longevity. It is used by more 5550 vehicles a day, of which 12.5 per cent are heavy vehicles. Replacing the bridge was a 2015 election commitment, with $58 million in funding secured from the NSW Government to replace the bridge. Then Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay turned the first sod on the project in April 2016. Construction of the causeway was completed in late 2017 with the entire project set to be completed early 2018. On September 25, 2017 thousands of residents from across the South Coast walked the bridge before it opened to traffic. The new bridge is 290m long and has been built above the one in 100 year flood level and will improve travel times and safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.