Darren Hayes ‘not a huge fan’ of Prime Minister Tony Abbott listening to Savage Garden

TONY Abbott might be a fan of Savage Garden’s music but Darren Hayes has revealed why he’s not a fan of the Prime Minister.

Singer Darren Hayes in an undated copy photo. Pic Nicole Richards.

DARREN Hayes has spoken out about his most political fan in Australia — Tony Abbott.

In March the Prime Minister said he liked to listen to Savage Garden, after being introduced to the Australian chart topping duo by his children.

Hayes, who fronted Savage Garden, tweeted at the time “I certainly do not listen to Tony Abbott.”

Promoting the new Savage Garden compilation The Singles Hayes has expanded on his comments.

“I’m not that much of a fan of somebody who doesn’t necessarily speak in the language of equality that I do, so I wasn’t a huge fan of that endorsement,” Hayes said.

Despite now living in America, Hayes, born in Queensland, has kept in touch with the changing face of Australian politics.

I certainly do not listen to Tony Abbott.

— Darren Hayes (@darrenhayes) March 20, 2015

Hayes, who married partner Richard Cullen in both London and LA, is also a vocal advocate for marriage equality.

“I’m Australian. I defend Australia because my history of growing up in Australia is that we always do the right thing,” Hayes said. “There are environmental issues and certainly human rights issues at the moment that I disagree with. And I think a lot of Australians disagree with them. And that includes marriage equality.

“It’s not just about getting married, it’s about what that trickle down theory is. The whole world is changing and understanding about quality and dignity and human respect, whether it’s about immigration or equal marriage or how we treat the Barrier Reef. Australia has set so many good examples in the past.”

Hayes ignored flack he received for his anti-Abbott post including some from homophobic trolls.

“There’s a wonderful thing called mute on Twitter and I encourage people to use it. I’ve always got into a lot of sh*t for speaking my mind and being political. I’m a good person, I’m a working class person at heart. I’m for equality, I’m super green and super left.

“People who don’t feel like that give you sh*t. I wouldn’t be in the business of music if I was fiscally conservative and reprehensible.”

@dammitsreal I know it sucks. So lucky I sold 30 million albums so I can just spend my spare time counting money and stuff. And being gay.

— Darren Hayes (@darrenhayes) March 22, 2015

The Singles, released today, rounds up 15 singles released around the world from the two albums Savage Garden released during their seven years together.

The duo, Hayes and Daniel Jones, sold over 20 million albums and are one of the few Australian acts to score two No. 1 singles in America with Truly Madly Deeply and I Knew I Loved You.

However Hayes is once again pointing out they have no plans to ever reform after their musical “divorce” in 2001.

“We’ve been lucky because people respect that it ended for a reason. You’d no sooner ask a couple who broke up to get back together just because you enjoyed going to the movies with them.

“I get it, there are some really happy memories associated with it. But as human beings and as artists there were also things that obviously didn’t work. I don’t think we would have stayed disbanded for however long it’s been if that was an accident.”

Reissued versions of both Savage Garden and Affirmation, containing bonus discs of remixes and live tracks are also available now, digitally and physically.

Both members of Savage Garden now live in America, Jones staying off the radar with his family, Hayes is embarking on a career in acting and comedy and releasing the He Said He Said podcast regularly on iTunes and You Tube.

Originally published as Darren Hayes ‘not a huge fan’ of Prime Minister Tony Abbott listening to Savage Garden