Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett’s still got the moves like Peter Garrett.
The rock legend made a surprise appearance to close out the 2026 APRA Music Awards, jumping up with electronic duo The Presets to perform Power and the Passion in tribute to his late mate Rob Hirst.
The 73-year-old was clearly in his element in the wildly energetic revamp of the song, revered for Hirst’s signature drum solo played on an old water tank.
Garrett traversed the stage in his whirling dervish fashion. throwing his iconic shapes as he traded lyrics with The Presets frontman Julian Hamilton.
To underscore the sheer power – and passion – of Hirst’s musical talent, The Presets’ Kim Moyes fronted a drum line of six players, all drumming along to amplify his famous solo.
Garrett’s rare live performance at the Hordern Pavilion for the annual songwriters’ awards came almost four years after Midnight Oil played their final gig at the same venue.
The former politician, environmental advocate and musician has continued to perform The Oils’ classics, including Beds are Burning and Lucky Country, on tour with his solo project The Alter Egos over the past two years.
Before his big surprise, Aussie pub rock heroes Amyl and the Sniffers were crowned the 2026 APRA Awards’ big winners, claiming three trophies, including Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for their uncompromising hit Jerkin’.
The band revealed a music industry executive once asked them to provide a radio edit of the expletive-laden track, which opens with a C-bomb, but the rockers explained the song any bleeping or censorship would leave the song with no lyrics.
Frontwoman Amy Taylor said it was “really massive” for the globally-famous punk quartet now to be recognised for their songwriting. This is the second consecutive year they’ve taken out Song of the Year, winning last year with U Should Not Be Doing That.
“I know that we’re like the musical equivalent of a d … and balls being drawn on a dirty car,” frontwoman Amy Taylor said on stage.
“But there is meaning in what I’m saying and what I am trying to get across because I feel like it’s so frustrating to be alive right now sometimes.
“Even with all the stuff going on in this country right now, and you feel like you want to draw attention to the stuff that’s really f … ked up, but if you draw attention to it, the people behind it just get lifted up more.
“I’m talking about the politicians and the groups that none of us want to see rise to the top, that you just want to say ‘Shut the f*** up.’”
As APRA celebrates its 100th year, beloved band INXS was honoured with the prestigious Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music in recognition of their profound influence on modern music, with the five surviving members – Andrew, Tim and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Gary Beers – paying an emotional tribute to their late frontman Michael Hutchence.
The trophy intended for the band’s charismatic frontman and chief songwriter, alongside Andrew Farriss, will be sent to his daughter Tiger Lily.
Guy Sebastian, who is in the middle of a national tour, was another big winner with his song Maybe claiming the trophies for Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work.
Sia became the most awarded songwriter in APRAs history with 14 gongs when her 2016 hit Unstoppable was named the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for the third consecutive year, proving the track is indeed … unstoppable a decade after its initial release.