Fans Ask If Garrett's Parliament Stint Will Blunt Midnight Oil's Return

An opinion piece posted by The Daily Review this week has questioned the return of Midnight Oil on the back of frontman Peter Garrett's run in politics where the author, Luke Buckmaster, writes that his past decisions in Parliament will "hover over the stage like a toxic cloud every time he rolls out one of the oldies".

The piece, entitled 'Midnight Oil May Be Coming Back, But The Power & The Passion Was Sacrificed Long Ago' notes Garrett's approval of uranium mining expansion as just one example of how the singer's stance on political views has changed over time, rendering songs like The Dead Heart as hypocritical.

Victorian musician Ezekiel Ox has echoed the comments shared in the piece, writing on Facebook, "How can a man who literally signed over Aboriginal land to uranium companies sing those songs again with any credibility?"

Speaking to The Music, the Superheist frontman says that while he considers himself a Midnight Oil fan, Garrett's legacy as a politician is "sketchy at best, and lacking all integrity at worst".

"Child removal rates in indigenous communities are at higher rates than the '70s, health, education and welfare are under attack," Ox says.

In his op-ed Buckmaster concludes, "When Midnight Oil start banging out their old songs again, Garrett shouting and dancing in that malfunctioning cyborg-like way of his, it will invariably sound like an exercise in 'do what I say, not what I do'. And that's no way to rock out."

Ox tells The Music that Garrett's actions throughout his political run must be held accountable on stage.

"The ALP, including during Garrett's time as a minister, have played a huge part delivering today's conditions, and people are suffering because of their actions," he says.

"They must be held accountable. Garrett sat by whilst his party abused refugee children, I will never forget that, and people have a right to be angry about it."

Ox continues, "For my ears, [Midnight Oil's return] is the best news ever, fucking killer songs! From a political perspective? It gives us a chance to reflect on what's changed since last time, and what hasn't.

"People are talking which is good. Garrett has some ground to make up with a lot of his fans, I hope he can use his platform to apologise for his work as a Labor member, and move the conversation forward."

Midnight Oil's representatives declined to comment when contacted by The Music.

Ox is also playing shows in Sydney and Melbourne next month – click on theGuide for more details.