Tuesday, 17 February 2026

 Michaela SETTLE (Eureka) (15:21): I rise today to acknowledge the remarkable courage of a young man in my electorate, Aiden Pugh. On Christmas Day, while most families were gathered around lunch tables, exchanging gifts and enjoying the day, Aiden found himself in the middle of a frightening and dangerous situation when weather conditions turned and he and his stepmother found themselves swept out to sea. To spend more than 3 hours at sea on Christmas Day battling strong currents after being carried deep into the bay and to do so while repeatedly assisting his stepmum back on her inflatable after she had fallen off multiple times is nothing short of extraordinary. Aiden’s ability to remain calm, take control of the situation and keep his stepmum safe demonstrates remarkable strength, maturity and leadership for someone so young. Heroism is not always loud. Sometimes it is deeply personal. Sometimes it is a son refusing to give in when someone he loves is in danger. Aiden Pugh showed extraordinary courage, and I am proud to place on record this house’s recognition of his selfless act.