ABSTRACT
Sport is a central element in Australian culture, and winning at sport has been an important goal throughout much of the country’s history, beginning with the famous first ‘test’ victory over England in 1882 and, more recently, with the success at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. Dunstan (1973: 1) summarises, ‘Sport is the ultimate Australian super-religion, the one thing every Australian believes in passionately. Sport is wholesome. It can do no wrong. It builds stronger Australian men and women, and best of all; it spreads the fame of Australians overseas. It helps unify Australia as a nation.’
