Daniel O’Neill is an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion consultant, human rights advocate, and longtime supporter of animal justice, protection, and conservation. For more than 25 years, he has worked across higher education, government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, helping build fairer, more inclusive institutions and communities.

He believes political leadership should bring people together, focus on common ground, and resist fear and division. Throughout his career, he has advocated for people too often excluded from decision-making and sees diversity of experience, culture, faith, identity, ability and perspective as a fundamental strength of Australian society. It is exactly this that makes Melbourne the sophisticated, multicultural city it is today, and it is worth protecting.

Born and raised in Sydney, Daniel has lived and worked across Australia and overseas before making Melbourne home. He holds qualifications in English, Linguistics (Mass Communication), and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, along with other certifications. In 2025, he completed the City of Port Phillip’s Environmental Leadership Program.

In 2018, Daniel became an Authorised Marriage Celebrant in response to the toxic public debate around marriage equality. Rather than remain frustrated by the harm it caused, he chose to act. The experience strengthened his belief that people most affected by decisions should have a meaningful voice in shaping them.

That belief is one reason Daniel is standing for the Animal Justice Party: animals deserve genuine representation in our political system. He sees the wellbeing of people, animals, and the environment as inseparable, and believes a fair, compassionate society considers the impact of its decisions on those with the least power. He wants animal welfare and protection considered in every law, policy, and public decision.

Daniel advocates stronger protection for Australia’s unique native wildlife, including the dingo, evidence-based and humane management of introduced species, and rewilding urban habitat and waterways to support pollinators and other wildlife.

Guided by the Animal Justice Party’s core values of Kindness, Equality, Rationality, and Non-Violence, Daniel hopes to bring a thoughtful and constructive voice to public life. He is committed to working collaboratively across the political spectrum to help create a safer, fairer, and more compassionate Victoria for people, animals, and the environment alike.

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