Tina ArenaThis article mentions sexual assault and misconduct. If you or someone you know is affected by these experiences and needs to contact someone, please contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
Tina Arena has discussed why she thinks the #MeToo movement didn’t gain much traction in Australia during a candid, far-reaching interview with Kate Miller-Heidke.
The pair appeared together in an episode of GLOW Stories, a podcast series featuring singers from Australia and New Zealand discussing issues affecting their music careers in honest, peer-to-peer conversations.
No journalists feature in the chats, just artist-on-artist interviews. Previous episodes have included pairings such as Missy Higgins with Gordi, Ladyhawke with Bic Runga, and Marcia Hines with PANIA, among others.
For the sixth episode, Tina Arena and Kate Miller-Heidke joined forces to discuss the #MeToo movement, sexism, ageism, power, and accountability.
When #MeToo became a topic of conversation, Arena reflected on the movement’s impact – or lack thereof – in Australia.
“I think it’s safe to say the #MeToo movement kinda didn’t really work in Australia,” she said. “Australia is a very patriarchal society.”
Further discussing the broader culture in the country’s entertainment industry, and the conditions that have allowed inappropriate behaviour to fester, Arena added, “It has been a sector where people have been able to misbehave very badly for a long period of time.”
The conversation also moved to the recent sexual assault conviction of Ralph Carr, a prominent Australian music manager and Arena’s ex-husband.
She reflected on accountability and an unhealthy culture, stating, “I think what happened to Mr Carr a couple of weeks ago is the culmination of very, very inappropriate behaviour that has been going on for a very long time.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Arena and Miller-Heidke touched on ageism and how it impacts women in the Australian music industry.
Acknowledging that while representation has improved, with changes including more women on festival line-ups and heard on the radio, Miller-Heidke believes the country still has ways to go regarding sexism.
“Music is very ageist,” she said. I feel like it’s potentially getting less sexist than it was. But the ageism is deeply, deeply entrenched.”
The pair went on to discuss the double standards women in music face. Miller-Heidke observed, “In this country, we don’t respect female artists who have really, really studied their craft and been at it for a long time.”
You can watch the interview below.
Tina Arena is celebrating her 50th anniversary in the entertainment business, commemorating the milestone with the release of a covers EP, the documentary film Tina Arena: Unravel Me, and tour dates on the way.
Meanwhile, Kate Miller-Heidke will soon embark on a national headline tour in support of her just-released new album, The Kiss and The Abyss.
