Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says someone should have written a manual about life after Parliament because it's been a huge adjustment for him since losing his seat and the party's voice in Parliament at the election.
The last time most New Zealanders saw him in public Mr Flavell was in tears, conceding a crushing election night defeat.
Seven Sharp reports that two months on from his shock loss of Waiariki, the former Maori Party MP and minister is now back home in Rotorua, coaching at a gym.
The intervening time has been a been a wash of emotions, Mr Flavell said.
"Everything from traumatic to sadness, deep sorrow, to anger, to frustration, to aroha, to everything that you can possibly think of because, you know, your world's tipped upside down in the space of one day," he said.
Twelve years of Parliamentary life wound up overnight, not just for MPs who lost their seats but their staff as well.
"Well, put it this way, it was like the longest tangi I've ever been to," Mr Flavell said of leaving his staff and whanau network.
He has a departing tip for Parliament to help those who follow in his footsteps.
"Life after Parliament, man they should have written a manual about it because it's a huge adjustment. I found it really hard for the first couple of weeks but I've sort of come through pretty much most of it," he said.
"But the affect on you, your family, your whanau, your supporters is something that people don't necessarily talk about. And actually you might be given a card about counselling, but there's a lot more to it than that, I think, having been through the experience myself."
Mr Flavell said it is "awesome" to be home and relax a bit but he doesn't want to get too comfortable and has got to get into something new.
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