The passing of Neale Daniher is a time for reflection. Back in the day, I had the privilege of working with Neale during my tenure at the AFL. He was ‘Chairman of Selectors’ for the AFL Senior Coach program we ran to prepare the AFL’s very best Assistant Coaches to become Senior Coaches. The work we did was rooted in shared learnings, world best practice, innovation and collaboration, and Neale was unwavering in his pursuit of continuous improvement and excellence.
Neale was deeply committed to collective effort. This stemmed from his fundamental belief in teams, the power of a shared vision and that we all have a role to play. These beliefs led Neale and two others to establish Fight MND in 2014. From humble beginnings, they started with a bold ambition: to find effective treatments, and ultimately a cure for MND – an ambition that continues to drive the much more sophisticated organisation we know today.
Much has been achieved since 2014. The ice bucket challenge grew to become the Big Freeze at the G, attracting 80,000+ every year and the blue beanie has developed into an annual must-have fashion accessory. In 2026, the Daniher Drive will celebrate its 10th edition with its convoy of cars visiting communities across regional and remote Australia. Most importantly, now with over $100m of funds invested, Fight MND’s globally-recognised research continues to focus on its ambition for finding a cure, and is providing pathways to treatments and support.
All of what Fight MND has been able to achieve has only been possible because of the shared belief in the power of collective effort. Whilst Neale has been at the forefront of their 12 years of work, he would only ever speak of the Team that is needed to “Fight the Beast”. The following Greek Proverb lies at the heart of all that is Fight MND:
“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.”
It’s a powerful reminder of selflessness; the power of working towards a future we may never witness, but one that’s worth fighting for.
As I reflect, there are parallels here to Committee for Ballarat’s Purpose. We exist to work collaboratively, with shared effort, envisioning a thriving and vibrant region for the future – one that offers opportunity for all and is known for its liveability, sustainability and inclusiveness.
Just as a cure for MND will take the power of people and a clear vision, Committee for Ballarat relies on our collective effort, driven by our Vision for the future. A vision that sees prosperity and well-being growing together; a Vision where success will be measured not by scale, but by who benefits, and the strength of connection and belonging across our entire city and region.
Our Vision can only be realised through the power of people, those from every sector of our community and regional economy. It is about collaboration, and it is the DNA of Committee for Ballarat.
Michael Poulton
CEO
Committee for Ballarat