Subjects: Australian of the Year Awards
E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, what are the desirable qualities of the Australian of the Year?
PRIME MINISTER:
You need to be a good role model, you need to have an inspirational capacity, you need to be somebody whose achieved excellence in whatever they care about. And that';s not limited to sport or intellectual pursuits, the Australians of the Year can be somebody who';s devoted his or her life to looking after others. So they';re the sorts of things that we';re looking for and the new format will bring more and more nominations to light and I think that is a fantastic thing and it';s just a great way of focusing on the enormously diverse way in which people express their love of this country.
JOURNALIST:
Do we have to step back a little bit from the sports stars and actors though in order to make sure that normal people do nominate?
PRIME MINISTER:
Normal people have always been involved. I mean you might remember some of the sportsmen like Rafter and Border and Taylor and rightly so. But remember we';ve had great scientists like Peter Doherty, we';ve had people who have been honoured for their welfare work as the General Governor was in his previous pursuits. So there';s plenly of opportunity for that.
Thank you.
[ends]