There's a Greek proverb at the start of Neale Daniher's autobiography which beautifully sums up the former AFL player and coach's attitude to life - "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in".
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It's a quote that tugs at the heartstrings as soon as you pick up When All Is Said And Done, because it's a not-too-subtle reminder that for all the amazing work Daniher is doing in his fight against motor neurone disease, he knows he won't be around to reap the benefits.
But future generations will.
He wants the book to act as a diary, of sorts, for the grandchildren he'll never meet. To let them know that he was prepared to work hard, no matter the odds, and that if nothing else, he was always prepared to do what he thought was right.
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It was this kind of attitude that made former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer such a respected, and widely loved, politician.
The former member for Farrer played an instrumental role in introducing tighter gun laws following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, a point Prime Minister Scott Morrison reinforced at Mr Fischer's state funeral in Albury in August last year.
"Gun laws were not popular in regional Australia in 1996 ... (but) Australians are safer today because of him," Mr Morrison said during the service.
"It was his finest moment among many."
This is the kind of legacy most of us can only dream of leaving and it's why Mr Fischer would be a more than worthy candidate to have his name on Albury's city square, rather than Queen Elizabeth.
It wouldn't be the first time the QEII Square precinct has had a name change, having been Market, Dean and Civic square before Queen Elizabeth's visit in 1988.
Councillor Darren Cameron floated the idea following Monday night's meeting, saying "I'd like to see it named after somebody local" with fallen Vietnam War soldier Ernest Grant another worthy name suggested.
The royal family provides a nice distraction from everyday life but surely we can think "outside the square" and honour someone with a stronger link to Albury.
SHOULD QEII SQUARE BE RENAMED? WHO AFTER? SEND US A LETTER
Xavier Mardling
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
