In May 1996, she was offered the position of principal of Wellington Girls' College, but never ended up taking the job, instead moving into Parliament on the Labour list.

[4] She contested the Kaikoura electorate in the 1996 election and came second to National Party's Doug Kidd, but entered Parliament via the Labour list, where she was ranked 12th.

[5][6] Upon entering parliament Hobbs was designated opposition spokesperson for broadcasting, communications and information technology by leader Helen Clark.

[8] Hobbs was selected as Labour candidate for the seat over Victoria University dean of law Professor Brian Brooks, teacher Elaine Whelan and former Wellington City Councillor Hazel Armstrong.

[9][10] In the 1999 election, Hobbs won the Wellington Central electorate, defeating the incumbent member, ACT Party leader Richard Prebble.

In February 2001, she briefly resigned from Cabinet while an enquiry investigated her allowance-claims; she returned in late March after receiving official clearance.

Hobbs contested the election and was returned to the Wellington Central electorate with a 6,180 majority over the National Party candidate, Mark Blumsky.

[15] Before leaving Parliament, Hobbs signalled her intention to work as a teacher in the United Kingdom, in compensation for never having made a traditional working-holiday as a young woman.