Alastair Needes—dog trainer, community member, and survivor of Cyclone Gabrielle—shares his harrowing experience during the 2023 floods, which saw his home submerged, pets tragically lost, and his wife and himself narrowly escaping with their lives. Despite enduring significant emotional and material losses, Alastair has shown remarkable resilience, rebuilding his life while grappling with bureaucratic hurdles. He explains the ongoing emotional and financial toll of still being charged rates based on his property's pre-cyclone value of $1.46 million, despite it now being worth significantly less and largely uninhabitable due to red zoning. Alastair recounts his struggles with insurance, mixed land categorisation, and the council's slow and rigid response, highlighting not just the devastation of the floods, but the ongoing trauma faced by survivors.