Politics meets progress: How Alison Byrnes bought $1b to the Illawarra

With a 30-year career in politics behind the scenes, and now a first-term as Cunningham MP, there's still more to be done

Alison Byrnes has a laser-like focus.

Downstairs in her Crown Street office staffers are on the go, constituents drop in and even mid-afternoon on a Monday, a supporter wants details on how to be a better volunteer. The phone rings relentlessly.

Upstairs, another phone is providing an altogether different soundtrack accompaniment as Byrnes is 100 per cent committed to answer questions from The Pulse. It's not frenetic, but there's an energy that's rising.