Peter Garrett owes much of his decades long career in activism, music and politics to the Northern Territory, so it was fitting that he chose to visit Darwin and Alice Springs to promote his autobiography.

The former Midnight Oil frontman attracted international stardom in the 1980s with the iconic single Beds Are Burning, a song inspired by the land rights movement.

"We thought land rights needed to be sorted because we came at it from the city, to find that people had country taken away and were struggling to take it back," Mr Garrett said.

"It seemed for us to be a fairly straight forward and important thing to happen."

In Darwin a week on from the 30th anniversary of the Uluru handback to traditional owners, Mr Garrett said the song was developed when he and the Oils were asked to write music for a film that celebrated the event.

The song unexpectedly topped charts around the world and raised the profile of Indigenous affairs.

Mr Garrett said Australia had moved much closer to his "dream" for reconciliation and land rights, but there were still some notable improvements to be made.

Garrett's thoughts on: Beds are Burning "In some ways it accomplished the task of letting people in the east, letting people in other countries into an insight about Aboriginal Australia." Collaboration with Yothu Yindi "It was a wonderful relationship built on trust and deepening understanding of one another's cultures... and I think you could hear the sentiment and the sound of this part of Australia reflected in our music." Land rights "It takes too long for claims to go through the tribunal process. And for older people in particular, traditional owners, people connected to country, waiting out these year-in and year-out processes I think is a terrible thing." Uranium mining "I'm opposed to the announcements Mr Turnbull has made believing that we can have nuclear energy in Australia as an alternative and that we can become a place where the world's radioactive waste ended up being stored." US military presence "We can't be acquiescent to the United States, we can't simply do whatever they want, but they will be a more important ally for us now than I would have said in the '80s, because they were focused on nuclear war fighting." Time with the Labor Party "No regrets and I'd do it again."

"It takes too long for claims to go through the tribunal process," Mr Garrett said.

"For older people in particular, traditional owners, people connected to country, waiting out these year in and year out, I think is a terrible thing."

Mr Garrett's time as an activist and musician saw him develop a strong friendship with Yothu Yindi frontman Dr Yunupingu, as well as participating in several high-profile protests against Uranium Mining in the Territory, helping block the Jabiluka mine in 1998.

He continued to demonstrate a connection with the Northern Territory during his time as Environment Minister during the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments, declaring two huge tracts of Arnhem Land as Indigenous protected areas.

But the Labor frontbencher was unable to achieve other outcomes desperately wanted by local communities.

He failed to stop Labor lifting a moratorium on new uranium mines or prevent further exploration of the Ranger Uranium Mine at Kakadu National Park.

Mr Garrett admitted some "skin had been shed" during his time as a government minister, but he said he had "no regrets".

"All politics involves some form of compromise and I took my values into the Labor party because it was a good match for me," Mr Garrett said.

"I kept campaigning against uranium mining and expanding the policy of exporting uranium overseas... but I was also the regulator.

"I accepted that when I joined Labor I would be a team player."

Return of Midnight Oil not impossible

Mr Garrett remained adamant his views on uranium mining and the nuclear industry remain unchanged, but said his views on the US military presence in Australia had changed over the decades.

Peter Garrett watches a ceremony marking the declaration of the Djelk Indigenous Protected Area. ( Adrienne Francis )

"There's two issues that stand out for me, one is terrorism and the other one is the rise of China," Mr Garrett said.

"It's unrealistic for us to think that in an increasingly volatile security environment in South-East Asia where the Chinese government have shown a willingness to expand past areas which are recognised in international law then we need to have constructive relationships with our existing allies."

With his time as a politician now behind him, Mr Garrett said he hopes to return to his music and hinted a Midnight Oil reunion could be on the cards.

If that were to happen he promised a tour of the Territory.