Midnight Oil - Dissolution and Reunion

Dissolution and Reunion

Garrett announced his decision to quit Midnight Oil on 2 December 2002, to refocus on his political career. In the 1984 federal election, Garrett had stood for the Australian Senate under the Nuclear Disarmament Party banner, and narrowly lost. He won the seat of Kingsford Smith at the 2004 General Election for the Australian Labor Party and was selected as Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Heritage and the Arts. On Thursday, 29 November 2007, Prime Minister elect, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, named Garrett as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. The other members of the band continued to work together but not under the Midnight Oil name, bringing the band's career to a close.

After a warm up gig the previous evening at the Manly-Warringah Leagues Club the band, including Garrett, reunited to perform at the WaveAid concert on 29 January 2005, to raise funds for the victims of the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The concert, which took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground, also included performances by Powderfinger, Silverchair, Nick Cave, John Butler Trio, Finn Brothers and others.

On 29 October 2006 Midnight Oil was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame with ARIA chairman Denis Handlin describing them:

For 30 years, on their journey from inside Sydney's Royal Antler Hotel to outside the Exxon Building in New York, the Oils have always led from the front. They spoke to us – and to the world – in a uniquely Australian way. Their music speaks first – it's powerful, it's uncompromising, it's unique rock music that inspires, entertains and will last forever. My favourite Oils lyric, which summarises it all is: 'It's better to die on your feet than live on your knees.' —Denis Handlin, 2006

Rob Hirst in his acceptance speech thanked his family, band mates, and support from fellow Australians. He also lamented the fact that unlike the Vietnam war which had inspired some of the best protest songs ever written, very few had been written because of the invasion of Iraq. Flat Chat, another compilation album, was released in November and peaked at No. 21 on the ARIA album charts.

Rumours of an appearance by Midnight Oil at the Sydney leg of the Live Earth concert in July 2007 were false. However Ghostwriters, founded by drummer Hirst and Hoodoo Gurus bass guitarist Rick Grossman and including former Oils guitarist Martin Rotsey, performed six tracks including the Oils' song "When the Generals Talk", whilst Peter Garrett gave a speech introducing a reformed Crowded House.

Aside from Ghostwriters, Hirst has also been a member of Backsliders, performed with former Olympian Paul Greene, with fellow Backsliders member Dom Turner on The Angry Tradesmen and with Rotsey assisted on Jim Moginie's solo album Alas Folkloric in 2006.