Getting things done

I pride myself on key stakeholder management, dealing in a professional manner and ensuring that I represent myself in an honest, transparent manner in all of my advocacy dealings.

I give credit to those who have come before me and acknowledge when others do good things, amplifying their messages to as many influential people as I am able to deal with. My journey has brought me into contact with amazing people who agree that there is a lot more we can do as a society, to save lives by increasing awareness around organ and tissue donation and lifesaving transplants.

Politicians at a federal level, across multiple states and from all political persuasion have listened to my story and taken note of the need for an approach that covers Legislation, Communications and Education.

In just 10 months since waking from surgery, I have been involved in making some significant advancements across the transplant journey and across Australia.

In my home state of NSW, with the support of David Mehan, MP for The Entrance and Adam Crouch the member for Terrigal the Friends of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant Awareness was formed in Australia's oldest parliament.

Working with Justin Clancy, MP for Albury and Tim James, MP for Willoughby more initiatives have been introduced into parliament that will make a difference. In his Speech to Parliament, Mr Clancy also acknowledged:-

"the wonderful work being done by the Australian Organ and Tissue Authority, Transplant Australia, DonateLife, Donor Families Australia, the Attorney General, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, and advocates such as Robert Manning who help drive this important conversation."

The Western Australian Parliament has revised the Human Tissue and Transplant Act 1982 forty years after it was first introduced thanks to some amazingly diligent work by Health Minister Amber Jade Sanderson, Simon Towler, Intensive Care Specialist in WA and many others. The WA Government are also reviewing the important clause relating to Disclosure of Information, S34c(2) which and will be amended in a future submission to Parliament but the ability for all Donor Families to Commemorate their loved ones was addressed in a letter was sent to Donor Families, Donatelife & Transplant Australia in July 2022.

I could list more achievements from my short journey, mention more extraordinary politicians who have committed to making changes and even who I have formed relationships with, but that is not the intention of this update.

Advocating with unbridled passion from lived experience, harnessing the skills and experience I have acquired in over 30 years of management across government and private enterprise is something I will continue doing.

Rattling chains, shaking trees and sharing the knowledge and experience of others to convey important messages is what I do & it's achieving measurable results and getting things done.