Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been in the Coromandel region today, to see the destruction of a wet summer with two cyclones hitting the area.
He's promised support to businesses desperately needing help to stay afloat, with isolation being their reality for a while yet.
The critical road - State Highway 25A - which crosses the peninsula to Tairua - is expected to take at least a year to rebuild.
But Chris Hipkins made no promises on what will happen.
Checkpoint reporter Louise Ternouth and cameraman Nick Monro are in the Coromandel.