STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Dr REID (Robertson) (13:40): Every life in public service is shaped by people whose names may never appear on a ballot paper but whose loyalty, sacrifice and belief make that service possible. For me, one of those people is Jesse Korda. Jesse has been there since the beginning.

From preselection in 2021 through elections fought on the streets of the Central Coast and through long nights, hard days and moments when the outcome was far from certain, Jesse stood beside me. He did so not for recognition or headlines but because Jesse believes in service. As a son of the Central Coast, Jesse has given back to the community that raised him.

He has served the people of Robertson with compassion and determination, and through his work in the Australian parliament he has served his country with distinction. There are sacrifices in political life that the public will never see—the missed weekends, late-night phone calls, burdens carried quietly and moments when duty comes before everything else. Jesse gave those things generously.

There are moments in my own journey that simply would not have been possible without him. Titles come and go, offices change and elections are won and lost, but character endures. Jesse's character—his loyalty, his decency, his courage and his unwavering commitment to others—is something I will remember long after our time in this place is over.

Jesse, you have served the Central Coast, you have served this parliament and you have served Australia. I wish you every success, every happiness and every opportunity in the years ahead.