interview
Matt enjoys
giving back
as a Board
member of
Variety SA.
After finishing school and while
still competing, Matt completed
double degrees in law and media
at the University of Adelaide. It was
during this time he developed an
interest in politics, and he applied for
and took up a three-month fellowship
with US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen in Miami, Florida.
Describing the 2014 fellowship
as a “fantastic experience”,
he returned home to start his
professional career with government
His parents had never had the grew as a person. He said he learned opportunity to travel and watch him the importance of dedication, compete internationally, and during persistence, resilience and attention 2015, Matt had more time to dedicate
London 2012 his sponsor Uncle Toby’s to detail – all things which have to other passions, and joined the
found out his parents weren’t there. served him well since. Board of Variety SA, a children’s
“Uncle Toby’s flew my parents
“I think sport is an incredibly
advisory practice KPMG.
After retiring from swimming in
charity that assists kids in need.
over and they literally got there 10 powerful tool for people to put aside minutes before the start of the 100 any point of difference and just Officer Mark McGill said Variety’s
metres freestyle. They got to see the concentrate on performance,” he said. association with Matt began when
“In sport, you focus on what you the organisation provided him with
race and that ended up being my
final Paralympic gold medal, so it was
pretty special,” he said.
Reflecting on his swimming
career, Matt realises how much he
can do.
“It teaches so much. The great
thing about sport is to be successful,
you’ve got to learn from mistakes,
Variety SA Chief Executive
a prosthetic arm as a child. Later, as
a successful swimmer, he became an
Ambassador for Variety.
“Part of his make up as a really
you’ve got to correct yourself, you’ve quality person, was his desire to
got to learn to work with other give back to the organisation after
people, you’ve got to communicate, the support it provided him. He
you’ve got to learn the importance of then progressed from Ambassador
persistence and dedication … it’s an to Board member, which was
incredibly important tool for young also testimony to his community
people to improve themselves.” mindedness and service,” Mark said.
Matt is coincidentally also Mark’s
local MP.
“I can say through my professional
association at Variety and as my local
representative in state Parliament, he
is a very valuable contributor to our
community,” Mark said.
Matt celebrates gold at London 2012,
image courtesy Australian Paralympic
Committee. Opposite page: Matt at
Henley Beach.
18
interview
“I think the determination he
displayed in his sporting career
has translated into his professional
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