Rotorua NZ First list MP Fletcher Tabuteau relaxed before Parliament resumes

It has been a while since Rotorua-based New Zealand First list MP Fletcher Tabuteau has donned a suit and tie.

Tabuteau has spent the summer holiday relaxing at home, but this week he is freshly shaven and back in his Rotorua office, ready to take on new challenges.

2017 was a busy year for the politician, involving negotiations, forming a new government and taking on new roles.

Tabuteau spent much of 2017 on the New Zealand First bus travelling the country, in the lead-up to last September's general election.

He then became part of the negotiation team which led to the formation of a new government.

"It was just one frantic workload to the next," Tabuteau said.

"It's come together well, but [2017] was an intense and incredibly busy year."

A personal highlight was having a member's bill, regarding proposed changes to the Kiwisaver scheme, drawn from the ballot.

"2018 is going to be a really exciting year.

"It's quite different now we're in government and we can talk about making this possible, not just watching it get shut down by the Opposition."

After such a busy year he said it was a relief to return home to Rotorua for Christmas.

"The family are quite happily spending the summer in Rotorua, and we will be trying to visit some of the lakes."

A stand-up paddle board, courtesy of Santa, had been a lot of fun, he said.

He will spend the remaining weeks of his holiday organising staff, reading papers and preparing work for the resumption of Parliament at the end of the month.

This year he has his sights set on achieving as much as he can for Rotorua, and fulfilling his new roles as parliamentary under-secretary to the minister of foreign affairs and regional economic development.

"It will be good for Rotorua, absolutely.

"There's a lot of really big and important stuff that needs to be done over the next three years."

He hopes to persuade Rotorua people to vote for him as their local MP in the next general election.