[2] In her teenage years, she lived at the Swanleigh Residential College in Middle Swan, and attended Lockridge Senior High School.
[2] For the 15 years prior to her entry into politics, she was, firstly, the Industrial Officer, and later the Assistant State Secretary of the Miscellaneous Workers' Union.
After being overlooked by the Richard Court-led State Coalition Government for a posting as Commissioner of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission, in mid-2000 Jackson resolved to run for Federal Parliament.
[3] In the election, Jackson polled a lower primary vote than Liberal contender Bethwyn Chan,[4] but won the seat after a distribution of minor party preferences gave her a margin of 1.8 per cent.
Following her defeat in the 2004 election, Jackson worked as Chief of Staff for State MP Bob Kucera, who was the Minister for Sport and Recreation.
[15] After initially considering running for the Division of Brand in the forthcoming 2007 Federal election to replace outgoing member Kim Beazley,[16] Jackson announced in January 2007 that she intended to once again seek Labor Party endorsement for the seat of Hasluck.
Jackson was probably[citation needed] aided in her campaign by voter discontent relating to a Government decision to allow the construction of a brick works in the electorate, against the wishes of the sitting member, Stuart Henry.
[22] Mirroring an election promise made by John Howard when he was visiting the electorate the previous week, Jackson announced that Labor would undertake major roads funding in Hasluck, including the construction of a grade-separated interchange at Great Eastern Highway and Roe Highway, to cost $48 million.