. Hobbs was Shadow Minister for Local Government and Planning and for Communities from 28 September 2005 until the LNP entered government following the 2012 election. As the longest-serving member of the Legislative Assembly, he presides at the election of Speakers. When he did so in 2009, Dean Wells equaled him in seniority, but Hobbs had taken the oath first because his name comes first alphabetically, so he took the chair as Presiding Member