Community

Fairley program in recess

By Geoff Adams

Oct 28, 2026

A Fairley Leadership Program group visiting a Goulburn Valley dairy company this year. Photo by Contributed

Northern Victoria’s 30-year-old community leadership program will go into recess.

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The board of the charitable program announced this week it had not been able to secure sufficient funding following the withdrawal of Victorian Government money about two years ago.

Hundreds of people have graduated from the program and moved into management and leadership positions in this region and other cities.

The Goulburn Murray Community Leaderhip Program is known as the Fairley Leadership Program due to the sponsorship of the Fairley family.

The graduation program for the 22 2026 candidates was held on October 28.

Chair Lacey Nicholson said the board had decided that the program would not be delivered in 2027 and would enter a defined recess because sufficient funding had not yet been secured.

In a letter to supporters, Ms Nicholson said funding was the constraint on future delivery and if the required investment was secured, the program would continue at the earliest responsible opportunity.

“This is a responsible pause, not a retreat from our commitment to regional leadership, connection and community impact,” she said.

The program has an annual budget of about $250,000.

It has been funded through charitable contributions, sponsorship and participant contributions.