NATIONAL: Neale Daniher is Australian of the Year


AFL legend Neale Daniher, who is fighting motor neurone disease, has been named as the 2025 Australian of the Year.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese announced the 2025 Australian of the Year at a ceremony at the National Arboretum in Canberra on Saturday night (Jan. 25).

Neale Daniher AO is a co-founder of FightMND, a charity that’s raised and invested over $100 million into medical research to find a cure for motor neurone disease (MND).

Since his diagnosis in 2013, Neale and his family have been battling the effects of the disease, but he remains a tireless campaigner for a cure and is always raising awareness of MND.

Neale has lived his condition very publicly, even in the advanced stages of the disease. He is often front and centre at FightMND’s Big Freeze charity event held annually.

A former AFL player with Essendon FC who went on to coach the Melbourne Demons, Neale has implemented his team-based football experience to galvanise community and corporate support for the cause.

The now 63-year-old has lived with the debilitating disease for more than 10 years, defying the average life expectancy of just 27 months.

“With amazing courage and relentless drive, he’s dedicated his life to helping prevent the suffering of those who’ll be diagnosed in the future,” a ceremony representative said.