▁her ▁to ▁enter ▁public ▁life . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁she ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁sen ate ▁of ▁Mur do ch ▁University ▁and ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Special ▁Broadcast ing ▁Service ▁( SB S ). ▁ ▁Early ▁political ▁invol vement ▁Bishop ▁joined ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁She ▁has ▁cred ited ▁the ▁W A ▁Inc ▁sc andal ▁with ▁making ▁her ▁think ▁she ▁" did ▁not ▁ever ▁want ▁to ▁see ▁a ▁Labor ▁government ▁elected ▁again ". ▁She ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Liberal ▁party ' s ▁C BD ▁branch ▁the ▁year ▁she ▁joined ▁the ▁party , ▁serving ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Senator ▁Nick ▁Min chin ▁invited ▁her ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁an ▁appointed ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁national ▁constitution al ▁convention . ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁" min imal ist ▁republic an ", ▁and ▁voted ▁against ▁the ▁final ▁model ▁because ▁she ▁considered ▁it ▁too ▁radical ▁and ▁unlikely ▁to ▁succeed ▁at ▁a ▁refer endum . ▁At ▁the ▁convention , ▁she ▁became ▁acquaint ed ▁with ▁Peter ▁Cost ello , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁serving ▁as ▁federal ▁tre as urer ▁under ▁John ▁Howard . ▁ ▁Howard ▁Government ▁ ▁First ▁years ▁in ▁parliament ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁federal ▁election , ▁Bishop ▁won ▁Liberal ▁pr ese lection ▁for ▁the ▁Division ▁of ▁Curt in , ▁which ▁takes ▁in ▁Per th ' s ▁western ▁sub ur bs . ▁Her ▁pr ese lection ▁bid ▁received