Barnaby Joyce returns to party room after thumping by-election win

Barnaby Joyce has returned to the Nationals party room, triumphant after his thumping win in the New England by-election.

Mr Joyce cant resume his seat in Parliament until the result is declared, possibly late this week.

However, he was warmly welcomed back into the Nationals’ Parliamentary fold at a meeting on M.P.s this morning.

Significantly, Mr Joyce had to be signed in a "visitor" to Parliament House, and wore his visitors’ pass to the meeting, acknowledging it hit home the fact he’d been out of the House.

After weeks of division and ill-discipline within the party, Mr Joyce told his MPs he wanted the win to be a moment for the Coalition to “re-set”.

And he reminded dissidents to focus on the Australian people.

Mr Joyce was forced out of Parliament when the High Court ruled he was a dual New Zealand citizen.

Despite 16 other candidates, Mr Joyce regained the seat with a record swing to a Government in a by-election.