The House roared back to life this week, as MPs settled in their seats for this year's first Question Time.

Smokefree legislation, the Treaty Principles Bill and the Red Sea New Zealand Defence Force deployment were all key issues discussed in the first session of 2024.

ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon led a very restrained session in the debating chambers.

"We had people in the past years who have been fantastic- clever, intellectual debaters, cutting... we don't have that anymore. Luxon would like to be, but he's a politician in chief executive's clothing."

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