By Patrick Gower
New Zealand's 50th Parliament has sat for the first time today, so MPs could be sworn in.
Swearing allegiance to the Queen meant yet more angst from Hone Harawira but some returning old faces could not hide their joy at being back.
It is now official - pinch yourself if you have to – Winston Peters is back in Parliament.
And media relations are not much better than when he left three years ago.
Mr Peters brushing off any questions about New Zealand’s First’s game plan for the next three years.
We all know Mr Harawira is no fan of the Crown.
So he squeezed in a quick shout out of his own on the way down.
In the end, Mr Harawira did his duty and duly swore the oath.
Then almost forgot to sign the papers.
Not that the whole ceremony meant a great deal to the Mana leader.
“You just cross as many fingers and toes as you can because it’s absolutely meaningless to me.”
The Greens agree, and want the oath modernised so you can swear to the Treaty.
“I'm looking forward to the modernisation of the oath…I just feel like it doesn't reflect who we are,” says Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty.
But one Green MP was not complaining: Mojo Mathers - New Zealand's first deaf MP.
She described the ceremony as “very moving”.
Lockwood Smith was only pretending to be a reluctant speaker – it’s tradition.
And there was no hiding that John Banks was pleased to be back – telling a story before Parliament about his first day back on the job.
“It was only surpassed by a security guard on day one when I arrived here two weeks and two days ago when he said it’s so good to see you again Winston.”
Mr Banks says its strange to be back again.
“It’s rather surreal,” says Mr Banks.
Surreal alright. Whoever claimed ‘history never repeats’.
3 News