 Hanson's first election to office was in 1994, earning a seat on the Ipswich City Council, on the premise of an opposition to extra funding.She held the seat for 11 months, before being removed in 1995 due to administrative changes.In 1996 she joined the Liberal Party of Australia and was endorsed as the Liberal candidate for the House of Representatives seat of Oxley (based in Ipswich) for the March 1996 Federal election.