"Welcome aboard, brother." And with that, a strangely warm moment was had between two of the NSW Parliament's most divergent political forces.
Shooters and Fishers Party MP Robert Brown greeted newly-elected Animal Justice MP Mark Pearson heartily at the opening of the state's 56th Parliament on Tuesday, on the first sitting day since the state election.
It was a surprisingly friendly exchange between the deer hunting gun advocate and the vegetarian animal defender who wants cage eggs banned.
In the upper house, Christian Democratic MP Fred Nile and his colleague Paul Green have emerged as kingmakers after the election handed them the balance of power. The CDP is expected to largely side with the government, ensuring the passage of key legislation such as electricity privatisation.
It raises the prospect that unlikely alliances will form between those on the outer: Labor, the Greens and the minor parties.
MPs from both houses were sworn in during ceremonies that were part pomp, part playground antics. Some MPs stumbled over their oaths; others goaded their opponents in jest.
"Guaranteed to frighten babies," a government MP yelled to Shooters and Fishers MP Robert Borsak when a young child wailed during his swearing-in.
"You kept that well hidden," a Labor MP called to Greens MP John Kaye, when it emerged his real first name is in fact Roland.
Liberal MP Don Harwin was returned as president of the upper house.
In the lower house, opposing MPs shook hands earnestly, holding rancour in abeyance until the first question time is held on Wednesday.
South Coast Liberal MP Shelley Hancock was re-elected as Speaker, charged with controlling the infamous bear pit.
Premier Mike Baird praised Ms Hancock's ability to keep order in the quarrelsome chamber.
"We certainly thank you for the job you've done and … we remember the great day when you threw out most of the opposition front bench," Mr Baird said.
"Many more of those days to come, I'm sure," Ms Hancock replied.
NSW Labor, decimated to an embarrassing rump after the 2011 election, has been restored to a more respectable 34 lower house MPs. However the government still enjoys a healthy majority with 54 MPs. The Greens have tripled their numbers from one lower house MP to three, and there are two independents.
Labor leader Luke Foley, in his first lower house appearance since moving from the upper house, joked that Ms Hancock was "the very finest Speaker I've served under. We've never had a disagreement".
