Grass Man "should be Aussie of the Year"

He is us. He is Australia.

The bloke who shooed the media pack and Prime Minister Scott Morrison off his newly-seeded lawn during a press conference on a chilly Thursday morning has become not only a national, but international sensation, with many calling for him to be the next Australian of the Year.

What started as a regulation press conference in the bustling new streets of Googong to announce the HomeBuilder stimulus package quickly became something which has put the homeowner in the same pantheon as Ned Kelly, Paul Hogan and Steve Irwin. A genuine Aussie legend.

"Can everyone get off the grass, please?" our bare-footed, tracky-dacked hero asked politely when the media pack and pollies started to tread all over his lawn.

"Come on, guys, I've just re-seeded that."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison replied with: "Sure, let's just move back from there."

There was a shuffle. Our mate was satisfied and gave the Aussie "thumbs up".

Photos show it was also the media trampling his lawn, although Mr Morrison was standing on the grassed verge. But that hasn't stopped the man's actions being celebrated as an example of the freedom enjoyed in Australia, where anyone can tell their nation's political leader to get off the grass.

Social media has lauded the man as the next Australian of the Year, suggested "not all heroes wear capes" and dubbed him "The Law(n) Enforcer".

Googong is part of Queanbeyan, the beating heart of the hotly-contested seat of Eden-Monaro. Should he stand for the Green (Lawns) Party? The Law(n) and Order Party?

Our hero seemed reticent for any further media attention on Friday, protective neighbours also giving nosy journalists the heave-ho.

The man has, undoubtedly, provided some good-natured humour during a dark week of riots and virus reporting.

The BBC reported the incident. Media commentator Mike Carlton suggested it was "very Australian" and "in the US, the Secret Service would have blown this guy's head off".

One tweeter noted it all unfolded on a significant date - June 4 - the 31^st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests.

"A home-owner telling the prime minister and the media to move off his just re-seeded lawn is hilarious and, especially on this day and in this week, that they all dutifully did so is also deeply democratic," they tweeted.