Iconic Australian singer calls out country's 'totalitarian' lockdown laws

• By Avi Yemini

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Feisty Australian singer Tina Arena has revealed that during the pandemic she deliberately broke Victoria’s strict lockdown laws because they were “totalitarian” and made no sense.

She told The Weekend Australian that she strongly opposed Melbourne’s Covid regulations, especially the imposition of a 5km travel radius dubbed the Ring of Steel.

“And why can’t you drive more than five kilometres? Guess what – watch me. So I did. I drove past my five kilometres. Am I a criminal now? You want to pull me up? Pull me up. You want to fine me? Fine me. I’m not the one with the issue here. The issue is, there is no logic. You have no right to do that. You are fining me. This is totalitarian. We don’t work like that.”

The singer, who lives in Toorak, said she was amazed more people didn’t rebel against the government’s rules.

“I didn’t hear anybody complaining during lockdown other than me: ‘Why are we locked up? Where’s your science? What? Why?’ The fear was so much for me; it was choking me, I was like, I can’t cope with all of you being so fear-driven like this, and compliant,” she said.

“I’m profoundly against being locked up – the injustice is too much.”

Arena slammed the government for cancelling music events during the pandemic while allowing football games to continue.

“That’s a categoric disrespect,” Arena said.

“I’m sorry, that’s rude, disrespectful, and shouldn’t be at all allowed to play out. Never, ever silence an artist – we play an important role in the social fibre of any country. It’s freedom of expression, and I’ll fight for it until the day I die.”

Reaction to her comments was swift, with many people on social media declaring they had new respect for her. Others described her as selfish.