Politicians have signed off for 2019 - a year bookended by tragedy and set against the backdrop of dramatic international events.
On 15 March a pair of deadly attacks rocked New Zealand, and more recently the fatal volcanic explosion on Whakaari/White Island.
MPs here have watched on as the United States and China launched a trade war, Boris Johnson won power in the UK and Donald Trump was impeached.
Next year though it will be them heading to the polls, and even as they break for the summer, the 2020 election is never far from their minds.
RNZ political editor Jane Patterson looks back on the year that was.
