Midnight Oil singer Garrett recants on US bases

Garrett says he has changed his mind

Labor frontbencher Peter Garrett has defended his change of heart on US military bases, saying he accepted the ALP's policy when he joined the party almost three years ago.

The former Midnight Oil frontman, who protested against the Pine Gap installation in the 1980s and called for the US military to be evicted, on Thursday dodged questions about a new unmanned military communications base to be built near Geraldton in Western Australia.

But on Friday he gave it his support.

"You know, 25 and 30 years ago, like a lot of other Australians, I was involved in making music, in actions and in activities around the country," Mr Garrett told reporters in Sydney.

"Of course you change your mind about some things over time."

Many people's views had evolved over time, he said.

"Mine have. When I joined the Labor Party I accepted the position that the Labor Party has in terms of supporting those facilities, and that maintains up to this very point in time today."