Peter Garrett | Long Play Series

Since 1975, Peter Garrett AM has been the lead singer of legendary Australian band Midnight Oil. Formed in Sydney’s northern beaches, Midnight Oil gained a loyal live following with their fiery onstage performances and provocative social commentary. Midnight Oil have been influential advocates for numerous political and social issues including nuclear disarmament, refuge for the homeless, land rights, environmental and conservation issues and better treatment for those seeking asylum in Australia. During the 1980s and 1990s, Peter Garrett pursued political and advocacy roles as a candidate for the Nuclear Disarmament Party and president of the Australian Conservation Foundation. He entered parliament in 2004 as a member of House of Representatives for the Australian Labor Party and over the next decade worked in various portfolios including the arts, environment, education and reconciliation. Following his resignation from politics in 2013, Garrett returned to music and joined the reunited Midnight Oil on The Great Circle World Tour which saw the band perform in 16 countries. Midnight Oil were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006. In this interview with Tracee Hutchison, Peter Garrett discusses the power of music as a driver for social change, his time in politics, and the impact of their breakthrough album '10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1'. Interviewer: Tracee Hutchison Location: Eleven Music, Sydney, 2017 For more Australian Music Vault stories and information visit https://www.australianmusicvault.com.au/ As part of our commitment to capturing and sharing great Australian music stories, the Australian Music Vault asked some of the country’s most influential trailblazers and unsung heroes to open up about their lives in music.