Joanna Hartman - Development

Development

Joanna is the daughter of Caitlin and Tony "Tarquin" Hartman (Michael Carman). She grew up in Yallingup. Joanna is made aware of her half-sister, Annalise, by Fiona Hartman (Suzanne Dudley) and she decides to go to Erinsborough to meet her. The BBC said the sister's have very different personalities. Joanna is "uncomplicated", while Annalise is high maintenance. Joanna is also "down to earth" and Annalise becomes jealous of her sister's stable home life. Joanna was more accepting of their father's job as a female impersonator, but Annalise became embarrassed by it. Of Joanna's personality, Josephine Monore, author of Neighbours: the first 10 years, said "Jo was even more vacuous than her blond looks would have you stereotype her. She was dizzy, forgetful and about as bright as a glowworm." Fiona Parker of the Daily Mirror said Joanna was "glamorous", while a colleague called her a siren and said she was as "equally-stunning" as her sister. Tony Johnston, author of Neighbours: 20 years of Ramsay Street, said Joanna was so "chirpy and over-helpful" that she drove everyone crazy. In July 1996, Harrison commented on Joanna's development saying "When I started with Neighbours I came in as the little confused sister of Annaliese but now Joanna Hartman is developing as a solid confident character."

When Tony gives Joanna and Annalise some money, the sisters decide to set up their own public relations company from their living room. Joanna and Annalise decide to combine their names and they call the company Anna-Jo Promotions. Inside Soap said the name was the best thing about the company. While Joanna has some experience promoting her father's act, Annalise does not know a lot about PR. However, the girls do attract a client, Roger Reynolds (Roger O'Connor), who asks Joanna and Annalise to get him some publicity for his magazine publishing business. Unbeknownst to the girls, Roger is a con man and he manages to cheat them out of everything they have. Inside Soap commented on the situation saying, "An experienced crook like Reynolds can sniff out easy targets like the Hartman sisters a mile away." The police tell the girls what has happened and they go undercover to catch Roger. After Anna-Jo Promotions comes to an end, Joanna takes a job as an aerobics instructor. She later becomes a co-owner of Chez Chez with Cheryl Stark (Caroline Gillmer), a role which prompted a writer for the Daily Record to comment "Joanna is thrilled to be part of Chez Chez - but proves to be anything but a silent partner."

Joanna begins dating Mark Gottlieb (Bruce Samazan), which displeases Annalise as she was once engaged to him. Joanna becomes obsessed with Mark and he is forced to admit that their relationship is only a fling. Joanna eventually realises that the relationship is going nowhere and ends it. Joanna meets Rob Evans (Graham Harvey), a rich businessman, at an aerobics class. Rob sends Joanna a note and they get to know each other better, they then begin a relationship. Of Joanna and Rob, Harrison told Amanda Ruben of TV Week "It all happens very quickly, but Joanna is really drawn to Rob's energy and she thinks he's gorgeous. I think it's true love. She really does fall head over heels." Joanna considers leaving Australia to work with her father in Asia, but when she realises she is in love with Rob, she turns the job down. Joanna worries about revealing her true feelings to Rob because she ruined her relationship with Mark by moving too quickly. She decides to tell him about the job offer to see if he feels the same way about her, but she starts to feel like she has waited for too long for a reply. A writer for Inside Soap said "Jo's really shocked at Rob's indifference to the thought of her leaving and, in typical Jo style, she breaks down and blurts out all her feelings."

Joanna flees from Rob in tears and prepares to leave and join her father abroad, but she then finds Rob on her doorstep begging for her hand in marriage. Joanna accepts his proposal and she shocks everyone when she reveals she is engaged to Rob after only knowing him for a short time. Joanna's visions of a "rosy future" are shattered when Rob reveals that he has been hiding something from her for a while. He explains that he had a vasectomy and cannot have children. Despite setting her heart on having a family, Joanna stays with Rob and their wedding is "a beautiful, lavish affair", though it does not go without a hitch. The gazebo that is being built for the ceremony is not finished in time and Joanna is not pleased with the dress Danni Stark (Eliza Szonert) has made for her. It is too revealing and not what Joanna wants at all. Joanna and Rob are married on 21 June 1996. Joanna leaves Rob when she realises their marriage is loveless, but she later decides to reunite with him.