Cunningham's new MP Alison Byrnes spent her first day in the federal parliamentary chamber on Tuesday.
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It was a busy day, with all the MPs - including the raft of first-timers - having to be sworn in. In fact, Ms Byrnes was called away from our interview by the division bells, requiring her to rush back to the chamber.
"It was amazing," Ms Byrnes said of her first day in the parliament. "It was both an honour and a privilege to take my seat in the House of Representatives chamber as one of the 35 new members of the house.
"We got sworn in, the whole parliament got sworn in today so everyone from the Prime Minister down to the new MPs."
She said she was happy to see "a dear friend of mine" in Milton Dick be elected as Speaker of the House.
Ms Byrnes is quite familiar with Canberra's Parliament House, having worked as an advisor for a number of years for former Cunningham MP Sharon Bird.
But she admitted it was a big step up going from an advisor to an MP.
"I'm definitely feeling the weight of responsibility," she said.
"When you enter the chamber, it's both daunting and exciting. There's a lot of responsibility representing 120,000 people. It's a big difference but at least I know my way around so I can get coffee."
She said she was expecting a busy few weeks in parliament.
"We've got a lot of things we need to fix but we've very much hit the ground running with a very big legislative agenda," she said.
"I'm really proud of that. Things like climate change, aged care reform, the repeal of the cashless debit card, paid family and domestic violence leave - we've got a very big agenda this fortnight already."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
