Shelley Hancock

Following the 2019 state election Hancock was sworn in as the Minister for Local Government in the second Berejiklian ministry, with effect from 2 April 2019.

In March 2017, Hancock, launched the 'NSW Parliament: A Fit Place for Women' exhibition which showcased the expanding role of women in NSW politics throughout its history. The exhibition was particularly well timed with the first female Liberal Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, coming to power in January of the same year.

Hancock previously served as the thirtieth Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was the first woman to hold the role, serving between May 2011 and March 2019.

Following the 2011 state election, on 3 May, Hancock was elected unanimously as Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, the first female Speaker of New South Wales Parliament. Following the 2015 state election, Hancock was re-elected unanimously to the role on 5 May.

Prior to the 2007 election, local and metropolitan journalists received phone calls encouraging them to print false allegations that Hancock and her husband had been involved in the making of pornographic films. The source of the phone contact was revealed to be a staff member of the Labor Party candidate Michelle Miran, an employee of the NSW Department of State and Regional Development. The same reports suggested that Labor had unsuccessfully tried to publish the same allegations at the 1991, 1995 and 2003 elections as well. Hancock went on to defeat Michelle Miran achieving a 6.2-point two-party-preferred swing in her favour. At the 2011 general election, Hancock was re-elected to the South Coast with a swing of 11.2 points and won the seat with 70.4 per cent of the two-party vote. Her main opponent was Glenn Sims, representing Labor. Hancock contested the 2015 general election and was re-elected with a swing against her of 10.5 points. Despite the swing, Hancock went on to win the seat with 59.6 per cent of the two-party vote.

Hancock has represented South Coast for the Liberal Party since 2003. She was the only Liberal candidate to win a seat from the governing Labor Party at the 2003 state election with 52.8 per cent of the two-party vote. During her inaugural speech to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 28 May 2003, Hancock asserted "motherhood convinced me that mine is the privileged gender".

Hancock served on Shoalhaven City Council for 17 years as a ward three alderman and councillor, serving on a number of Council committees. Hancock was also elected Deputy Mayor from September 2000 to September 2001.

Shelley Elizabeth Hancock (born 14 November 1951), an Australian politician, is the Minister for Local Government in the second Berejiklian ministry since April 2019. Hancock has been a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly seat of South Coast since 2003.

As Speaker, Hancock was responsible for a number of infrastructure and security improvements to the New South Wales Parliamentary Precinct. Most notably, her tenure has overseen historic restorations to elements of the old Rum Hospital Building including the Wentworth Room, which was used as the Legislative Council chamber from 1829 to 1843, as well as the former parliamentary library, the Jubilee Room, built in 1906. Further to the historic restorations, she has overseen improvements to the modern office buildings housing member and parliamentary staff, as well overseeing upgrades to disability access and facilities.