National is back - that was the catchcry for new leader Christopher Luxon.
He said New Zealand needs a shakeup and that he and his new deputy leader Nicola Willis were the right team to guide his party and the country through that process.
Luxon's opening gambit as would-be-Prime Minister was hiring a black Mercedes to drive just across the road from his apartment to Parliament.
"Great day for the National Party," he said as he arrived at Parliament. "Absolutely really wonderful day, it's a great new start and a wonderful new beginning."
In a separate Mercedes, his new deputy Nicola Willis arrived in a blur.
"I'm looking forward to seeing my colleagues," she said amidst a swarm of media.
Things soon became much clearer.
"Nicola and I are fresh faces for a revitalised National Party," Luxon said in his opening speech as leader. "We are the reset... National is back."
Simon Bridges pulled out of the leadership race, making way for Luxon's unopposed anointment, defying his chipper arrival on Tuesday morning.
"Look, I think it's going to be a good day, a really good day for the National Party," Bridges told Newshub at Wellington Airport. "We're going to be able to draw a line on what's been going on in the past."
His selfless act was not without reward.
"Simon and Judith and Todd, as former leaders, there are very important roles for them in our caucus," Luxon said.
Luxon has only been an MP for 409 days. Willis is more experienced than him.
"I'm just really proud to be doing it with Nicola," Luxon said.
After National's horrible week, his new MPs are more concerned about moving on.
"I'm worried about what happened last week. That wasn't where we needed to be," said National MP Barbara Kuriger.
"I'm not going to sugarcoat it - it's not been great," added National MP Erica Stanford.
"I'm not worried about anything," said National MP Todd McClay.
It all started with Judith Collins' self-implosion last week.
"Can you get out of my way please?" she said to a reporter as she arrived at Wellington Airport on Tuesday morning.
She got out of the way.
"I'm very much looking forward to a good day for the National Party," Collins said.
It was a wet day in Wellington and National MPs filed in, in dribs. Some, like National's Scott Simpson, were just trying to get about their business - he accepted a petition outside Parliament amidst the media chaos.
It was a leadership race with a lot of racing with coy MPs hesitant to give much away.
"What a beautiful day in paradise," said National MP Tim Van De Moden as he arrived at Parliament, dodging questions about leadership.
Asked if he was behind Luxon or Bridges, National MP Andrew Bayly said: "I'm not going to tell you that."
Southland MP Joseph Mooney said: "I think we've got two fantastic candidates."
There were a few clues dropped as the day wore on, particularly about the deputy.
"I think it will be a woman," said National's Stuart Smith.
Despite being the richest man in Parliament, National MP Ian McKelvie probably won't get the finance portfolio.
"I've got enough money to get me home tonight," he laughed, when asked if he'd get the role.
One MP's proposal sounded a bit like scrapping the entire caucus.
"It's time for a clean-out, so reset, refresh," said MP Harete Hipango.
That's the promise from Luxon.
"Today we are drawing a line under the last four years and we are putting them behind us."
