Nearly three months into the job, Te Tai Hauauru MP Adrian Rurawhe is settling into life in Parliament.
He said it had been a whirlwind introduction but with the election of a new party leader and being handed some portfolios to take care of, he was looking forward to next year.
"I think we're in a really good place at the moment," he said. "I sort of knew what I was getting into. The time is just flying, I don't know where the last couple of months have gone."
Mr Rurawhe won the seat back for his Labour Party at September's general election after the Maori Party's Tariana Turia stepped down.
Mr Rurawhe is in the process of setting up offices throughout the electorate.
He was given the Civil Defence and Emergency Management portfolio in a reshuffle following the election of Andrew Little to the leadership. He also got the Associate Internal Affairs (Gambling) and Associate Treaty Negotiations roles.
He has experience in treaty negotiations as a former chairman of Ngati Apa but would now be on the other side of the table.
"There is generally cross-party support for treaty deals ... there's not much latitude for big changes," he said.
"I put my hand up for civil defence because it's something different. It's a challenge for me. The gambling one, I had a little bit to do with problem gambling services that Ngati Apa was part of."