The 80s saw the emergence of bands like midnight oil, INXS and Goanna that catapulted Australian music to the world and at the same time shone light on issues relating to the rights of the indigenous people of Australia and the destruction of the modern world through corporate greed and pollution
When midnight oil sung beds are burning it was a definitive message about the mistreatment of aboriginal people . When lead singer Peter Garret belted out the words “the time has come to say fairs fair, to pay the rent to pay our share, the time has come a facts a fact , it belongs to them lets give it back” it enlighten all Australians to the cause of the aboriginal people , as anglo saxon Australians sang the lyrics of this song , in many ways it contradicted their beliefs .The popularity of midnight oils music crossed all boundaries and without knowing it the very people that discriminated against the indigenous sang in support for the very same people at a midnight oil concert.
Midnight oil did not just focus on indigenous issues they attacked corporate America and Australia's desire to follow in their footsteps . “the rich get richer , the poor get the picture, the bombs never hit you when your down so low, some got pollution , some revolution their must be some solution but i just don't know”
Midnight oil touched on the issues on nuclear armaments in America the growing divide between rich and poor and the government of Australia at the time to want to please their ally the USA . Many of the issues Midnight Oil sang about in the 80s are still prevalent today in fact history seems to be repeating itself with constant tension over nuclear war and the climate change and the uncertainty of a future free from poverty.
The 80s was full of creative and unusual bands and Australia was front and centre
