Matthew "Matt" Robinson (also Williams) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ashley Paske.

Matt's relationship stories have featured Lee Maloney (Maree Ackehurst) and Gemma Ramsay (Beth Buchanan).

Ashley Paske had previously played the role of Marty Bryant on Richmond Hill, another soap opera which aired on Network Ten.

[2] In between the show's cancellation and retainer, Paske auditioned for Home and Away and A Country Practice, which aired on their rival station Seven Network.

[1] Popular cast member Jason Donovan who played Scott Robinson had recently departed the series.

At that time, Callan stated the show had a hard working cast and "we have to challenge them by introducing new characters who test them in different relationships.

Barbara Toner from Radio Times noted that Paske had the good looks to fill Neighbours' quota of young male acting talent.

[1] Toner interviewed Kolle during the creation process and he explained that he wanted Matt to be different to the other teenagers previously featured in the series.

[7] When the story aired on-screen it featured him struggling with his school work and needing special assistance to help his studies.

While producers were keen to fill the void left by the character's departure, Paske thought the comparisons were unfair.

Paske told Darren Devlyn from TV Week that Matt is hard to categorise, adding "he's not good or bad but has a lot of personal problems.

He told Westbrook that on one occasion he received a letter asking him to lose weight and another expressing their dislike of his hair style.

Paske said that Matt sported a hair cut similar to that of the footballer Paul Gascoigne because of changes made by the show's production team.

Having moved from interstate to accept the role, Paske believed this helped him to better play Matt as they were going through similar experiences.

[6] Matt is disappointed when Hilary rejects him because she fears being shamed for having an illegitimate child resulting from a short lived romance when she was twenty.

In March 1990, Paske stated the character best suited to Matt romantically would have been Bronwyn Davies (Rachel Friend).

In her book The Neighbours Programme Guide, author Josephine Monroe wrote that Tom "took every opportunity to attack Matt for being irresponsible and unsuitable for his beloved daughter.

"[20] Writers created more problems for Matt an Gemma when they introduced her ex-boyfriend Aidan Devlin (Blake Collins) into the show.

"[21] He added that he was called "brave" because he was leaving financial and job security, but Paske, then aged twenty wanted to pursue other projects.

Paske believed scriptwriters were struggling to create new stories and told Camp that "he's a bit in no mans land and I think there's been a problem in dealing with him as such.

Paske's ideas were not developed, as Camp correctly reported that Matt's departure story would depict him moving back to Adelaide.

Paske told Gardiner that he did not regret his involvement in Neighbours, but thought that being typecast affected him securing further acting work in Australia.

[22] Matt arrives at Number 30 with Hilary, initially as a house guest and surprises Sharon, who is staying there, who was expecting him to be much older and stuffier.

Matt has enough and threatens to return to Adelaide, Hilary thinks he is bluffing and tells him she won't be emotionally blackmailed.

Matt's 18th birthday approaches and he is no mood to celebrate, but after Kerry and her husband, Joe Mangel (Mark Little) have a talk with him, he feels better and later he receives another letter from Lee, telling him about her new job up North.

After an argument with Jim, who is having marital difficulties with his wife Beverly, Matt moves in with Des and Melanie Pearson (Lucinda Cowden) at Number 28.

After Des sells Number 28 to the Willis family, Matt moves in with Joe and supports him when Kerry is shot dead during a protest.

"[24] A reporter from The Sydney Morning Herald opined that Paske was just a replacement for Jason Donovan who play Scott Robinson.

[14] Rachel Browne of The Sun-Herald said that as Matt, Paske won a legion of fans and became a teen magazine cover boy.

[25] TV Guide's Jane Noone opined Paske and Stevens were one another's competition in the Neighbours "heart throb stakes".