Daniel was born in Australia in 1955. His multi-award winning plays have been acclaimed throughout Australia, in the United States, France and Poland. Since the late 1990's he established himself as one of Europe's most notable contemporary playwrights.

He has won the South Australian Premier's Prize for Drama, the Victorian Premier's Prize for Drama (twice), the Wal Cherry Play of the Year, The New Dramatist's Award, New York and the 2000 NSW Premier's Prize for Literature (best Play) twice. The 2002 production of his play TERMINUS, directed by Laurent Laffargue at the TNT in Toulouse and the Theatre de la Ville in Paris, won the coveted Le Prix Pierre Jean Jacques Gaultier award for best direction.

In Australia during 2001/2, his work was performed in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane. He was co-founder with Ariette Taylor of the KEENE/TAYLOR THEATRE PROJECT which presented thirteen seasons of new work over a two year period. With Ariette Taylor he won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre (Green Room Awards 1998) and the Kenneth Myer Medallion for the Performing Arts.