Back to Rock the Vote: 20 Musicians Turned Politicians

Peter Garrett

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Given Midnight Oil's penchant for environmental and aboriginal activism, frontman Peter Garrett's transition into politics didn't come as much of a surprise. The rocker first dipped his toe into the political arena in 1984 when the Nuclear Disarmament Party invited him to run -- he was unsuccessful -- but his career began in earnest after Midnight Oil disbanded in 2002. Running for the Australian Labor Party, he was elected as a member of the House of Representative in 2004. Three years later, he became Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. In 2010, he was appointed Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, a position he still holds.