Alison Byrnes

Alison Joy Byrnes (born 5 February 1974) is an Australian politician. She is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and was elected as a member for the New South Wales seat of Cunningham in the House of Representatives in the 2022 election.

Early life
Byrnes was born on 5 February 1974 in Wollongong, New South Wales. She is the daughter of Petronella and Ron Byrnes; her mother was born in the Netherlands and arrived in Australia as a child.

Byrnes grew up in the suburb of Woonona, attending Woonona Public School and Woonona High School. She holds the degree of Master of Management from the University of Wollongong.

Politics
Byrnes has worked for the ALP since the age of 16. She was a staffer to Cunningham MP Sharon Bird for 18 years, including as chief of staff. Following Bird's retirement, she won ALP preselection for Cunningham in February 2022. She was chosen unopposed following the withdrawal of her main opponent, Misha Zelinsky. At the 2022 Federal Election, she was elected to the seat of Cunningham with 65% of the vote.

Personal life
Byrnes is married to Paul Scully, an ALP member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She has sometimes used the name "Alison Byrnes-Scully".