About Matt
Matt’s life started out on the dark clay soils of the Murray River junction town of Curlwaa, on 45 acres of citrus and vegetables. His father was a farmer and Mother was a nurse. The family home was a 10-by-10 fibro farmhouse.
Community was a way of life for Matt’s family, being involved in local sporting clubs, the Country Women’s Association and the Country Fire Service.
With involvement in many clubs, Matt learnt the value of community and understood that we are all charged with looking out for those less fortunate, even though as a family they had not much more to give. The sense of community and service instilled by his parents, led Matt to enlisted into the Army Reserve with the 8/7th Royal Victoria Regiment.
Before entering Parliament, Matt pursued careers in industries including hospitality, a Cash in Transit Officer, 10 years as a seafarer and as an organiser with the Transport Workers’ Union.
Matt was elected as the Federal Member for Spence, representing the community his wife and him call home. With his diverse background of employment, in his first speech to parliament he said:
“I am unapologetic for being a fierce advocate in demanding fair outcomes for workers. We need to adopt an approach where our workforce is seen as an asset and not a liability, where loyalty in both directions is rewarded, where the success for one is a success for the other. Fostering good workplace relationships with unions, workers and employers alike will lead to higher levels of productivity in the workplace—in turn, delivering better outcomes for all.”