This is a political song about giving native Australian lands back to the the Pintupi, who were among the very last people to come in from the desert. It is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It was named number 95 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s and number 97 by the Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time in 2009.
Midnight Oil performed this in front of a world audience of billions, at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The whole band were dressed in black, with the words "sorry" printed conspicuously on their clothes. This was a reference to the Prime Minister's refusal to apologize, on behalf of Australia, to the Aboriginal Australians for the way they have been treated over the last 200 years.
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