The manners were better, there was less fidgeting, and no lollies to be seen when Parliament sat yesterday.
A closer look revealed why: 120 young people - youth MPs - had taken the place of the politicians.
Each was selected by a member of Parliament and will take part in select committees and general debates while the House is in recess this week.
Yesterday, the Speaker, Jonathan Hunt, allowed leniency with the rules but handed out a mild rebuke to one youngster who asked a supplementary question, then clapped himself.
"When you're asking questions ... the person who asks the question doesn't have to clap his own question," Mr Hunt said. "That smacks of a rare immodesty."
He was gentler with another young man, who got a little tongue-tied when asking his question and popped out with, "Damn it, sorry."
A colleague tried to call a point of order but Mr Hunt overruled it, saying "everyone makes a mistake every now and then."
All the while, proud parents and MPs beamed down from the public gallery and cameras flashed, courtesy of a relaxation of the no-photography rule.
Earlier the group separated into select committees, where topics included partial decriminalisation of cannabis and free contraception for senior students.
- NZPA
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