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KERRY O'BRIEN: What is it about Australians and their cricket, that we so regularly elevate our cricketing heroes to the top of the national totem pole?
Steve Waugh last night became the third retiring Test cricket skipper in a row to become Australian of the Year, following Alan Border and Mark Taylor.
He's also the fourth sports champion in the past seven years to achieve the honour.
Some people will inevitably think that places undue emphasis on our sporting achievers over the rest of Australia's cultural landscape, but no-one could argue that there hasn�t been something special about the inspired leadership of Steve Waugh that's won him enormous respect around the nation.
He played his final Test innings against India in Sydney earlier this month and was in Perth playing one of his final matches for the NSW side when I spoke with him late last night.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Steve Waugh, you represented your country for nearly 20 years, so you have had plenty of time to think about this question � what does Australia mean to you?
STEVE WAUGH, AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR: Look, I feel fortunate that I live in Australia.
I've travelled all around the world and I've seen all the countries and different cultures and the way people live, the opportunities they have, and every time you come back to Australia, you realise how good you've got it.
So, to me, Australia is the greatest country.
We have the most opportunities and, for me, I feel privileged and lucky that I was born here and all the sacrifices people have made for us that have enabled us to have such a great lifestyle we have today.
KERRY O'BRIEN: So what are the core things you like about Australia as your country and the things perhaps you don't like so much?
STEVE WAUGH: Look, I think we value mateship.
We look after each other.
We have strong family values.
I think we can laugh at ourselves, we have a good sense of humour.
And I think we are pretty unique.
Whenever you go around the world, you can always recognise an Australian, you can hear an Australian.
I think right now we've got to work more closely together.
There seems to be a more violent society out there.
We have different cultures and different religions and I think we've got to understand each other a bit better and work more together.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Do you have the sense that the Australia you grew up in was perhaps a less divisive than the Australia you know today?
STEVE WAUGH: Yeah, it seems that way.
Perhaps it may get more recognition in the media these days, the violent crimes and the problems we have, and I think there is some racism out there.
I think we have, I think that the young kids are the way we can solve a lot of these problems, by educating the young kids and leading them in the right direction.
So I believe right now there are a few problems in that regard and we can try and fix it.
KERRY O'BRIEN: You're actually the fourth sportsperson to be chosen as Australian of the Year in seven years.
What do you think that says about Australia?
STEVE WAUGH: I'm not really sure.
Look, I think overall there's been quite a few sportsmen who have won Australian of the Year, but I think in the arts and science areas there's been quite a few there as well over the years.
Obviously the last seven years, four sportspeople winning it probably says that we're high profile.
We're in the news quite a bit.
People recognise us.
And we probably get, perhaps our deeds are sometimes over-exaggerated, but I think Australians love sport.
They follow it closely and they feel as if they're a part of our lives.
KERRY O'BRIEN: It seems the Australian cricket captain in particular is almost an automatic choice for Australian of the Year these days.
You're the third in a row.
We all know what a sports-mad nation Australia is, but why do you think Australians have such a love affair with cricket in particular?
STEVE WAUGH: Look, I think it's traditional.
I think Australians love underdogs.
They love people coming back from adversity and they have an affiliation with the baggy green.
I think it's traditional.
It's always been there, and cricket obviously is very high profile, so being leader of the Australian cricket side is a great honour, and obviously you're recognised by a lot of people and what you do is covered by the media non-stop, and, once again, it's such high profile that people feel as if they are a part of your lives.
I've been around for 18 years and a lot of people have grown up watching me play cricket.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Is there anything in particular that you will seek to achieve as Australian of the Year, any particular message that you will want to take around the country?
STEVE WAUGH: Look, I would just love to try and inspire young kids.
I know myself growing up at Panania in the backyard I always wanted to think I could play for Australia.
I had the dream to play for Australia.
I had a lot of people help me out and guide me along the way, and if I can play some small part in inspiring some young kids to fulfil their dreams or their destiny, then I see it as my role over the next 12 months to get kids' passion ignited and wanting to achieve something.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Which Australians do you particularly admire?
STEVE WAUGH: Look, I admire people who can overcome adversity.
You know, there's a lot of young kids out there you see in hospitals.
There's plenty of those kids.
There is a young kid called Matthew Deane, which I've known for about seven or eight years.
He's a young kid about 12 or 13 years of age now.
He's had 65 operations.
Every time I see him and talk to him he inspires me.
Peter Hughes, the Bali bomb blast victim, when I talk to him I get inspired by what's happened and how he's overcome that and the message he's giving the people out there.
So I think it's the everyday Australians.
But the people that overcome adversity, they're the ones that inspire me.
KERRY O'BRIEN: There's been speculation in the past that you might end up in politics, and I know you're the not the first sportsperson that's been said about.
But your interface with the Australian people over the next 12 months might actually give you a sense of what politics is like.
You might actually come to enjoy it.
STEVE WAUGH: No, I think politics is too hard, mate.
Every time I see a politician, they're always copping it.
So, look, I haven't really thought about that.
You know, I see myself as a cricket person.
I've got other interests, obviously.
Politics has been the furthest thing from my mind at the moment, but, as you say, over the next 12 months � I never say never � but it's a long shot at this stage.
KERRY O'BRIEN: You've earned enormous respect over the years for your natural leadership on the field.
Now, there's no reason that that leadership ability can't translate into other fields like politics, is there?
STEVE WAUGH: Oh, look, I'm not sure about that.
I don't really know.
I think if you give enough faith to people, they can achieve great things.
I think I've found out in the sporting area that if you give enough faith to people and you have the passion and the belief and you get behind them, people can achieve anything.
So, look, I think you can relate that to all forms � to business or politics or whatever it may be.
KERRY O'BRIEN: You've had a couple of weeks now to reflect on the fact that your international cricket career is over and your career for NSW as a cricketer ends in a couple of weeks.
Has it begun to sink in yet that it is actually all over?
STEVE WAUGH: Um, not really, because I'm still playing and in some ways I feel as if it's not finished because I'm here in Perth right now and I've got to got to Canberra and then to Brisbane and I'm going to finish up playing for my local club side in a couple of weeks time.
So it has and it hasn't.
I realise now I'm not playing for Australia.
And when I see the guys on TV, I think that part of my life is over.
But then I'm still playing cricket now for the Sate, so it's not really over just yet.
KERRY O'BRIEN: As you say, the baggy green is in the cupboard now, not waiting to go on the head again for the next Test.
STEVE WAUGH: Yeah, the baggy green is somewhere at home.
Yeah, for sure.
Look, I feel lucky I played so much for Australia.
I know it was the right time.
Sydney was a great place to finish.
I was lucky the way it ended up.
I was thankful I played 168 Test matches for Australia and 335 one-dayers, so I have had good run.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Your last game it looks like will be in Bankstown where it all began?
STEVE WAUGH: Yeah.
In all probability.
The Bankstown side is doing very well, if they decide to pick me in the final, if they think I'm good enough to make the final side, I mean.
KERRY O'BRIEN: They wouldn't be game not to, would they?
STEVE WAUGH: Yeah, look in some ways, I feel a bit awkward about that because the guys have been playing all year and if they don't want to pick me in the final I'll certainly understand.
But if I do get selected, it will be a nice place to finish.
KERRY O'BRIEN: I imagine there'll be a terrific amount of emotion on both sides.
STEVE WAUGH: Yeah, look Bankstown is the area where I grew up.
I've always played cricket there.
For 25 years I've been part of the Bankstown Cricket Club, and if I could finish up there, it would be a nice place to end it.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Steve Waugh, enjoy the next year and thanks for talking with us.
STEVE WAUGH: Thanks, Kerry, thank you.
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