Mack & Cook release thought-provoking new single "A Sign of the Times"

Mack & Cook return with their new single “A Sign of the Times”, a quietly political song offered not as a solution, but as a contribution.

After more than thirty years as an original member of The Wiggles — a role that left little room for political expression — Murray Cook now steps carefully out on the same limb he first occupied during his participation in the YES campaign. This new release represents a decision not to retreat, but to return to unresolved issues at the heart of the country we all call home: most notably, the ongoing absence of a treaty with Aboriginal people.

Rather than arguing from a platform, “A Sign of the Times” asks what it truly means for all of us to “do our bit” — to renew pressure, take individual responsibility, and express dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs. Not to “spoil the barbecue”, but with the belief that if enough people step up in visible ways, pressure can be maintained and justice achieved for the original owners of this land.

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“If I could distil the motivation behind the lyrics into one line it would be “We need to do better, and we need to do it NOW”. The Stolen Generation are waiting for our response – and they deserve a treaty in their lifetimes”. Lizzie Mack

“Significant change will only happen for First Nations people if we work together, listen to their voices and priorities and make things happen. That is the hopeful and eager message we tried to impart in our new song “A Sign of the Times” Murray Cook

The song opens with many true-blue visual metaphors, including one both Mack and Cook believe to be our country’s ultimate moment of justice; Gough Whitlam pouring the red desert sand into the hands of Vincent Lingiari.

Musically, “A Sign of the Times” is framed through an Australiana-meets-Americana lens, drawing on country storytelling traditions with hints of blues. A steady, unhurried pace, classic country-style guitar hooks, and layered male and female harmonies allow the lyric to unfold gently.

Beneath the warmth of the sound lies a deeper connection to sadness and disappointment — particularly the unanswered grief carried by Aboriginal people, especially the Stolen Generations — and a shared sense of waiting that has stretched across generations. From the hope of Mabo through decades of political inertia, and most recently the disappointment following the failed YES campaign, the song captures a lifetime of expectation deferred.

Rather than offering answers or closure, “A Sign of the Times” holds up a mirror, settling into something more enduring through its central, unresolved question: “Why?”

The release arrives amid renewed cultural pressure in Australia. A visible shift is occurring across film, television and public conversation, with new ABC programs such as Always Was, Tonight signalling a growing willingness to confront the nation’s hardest truths. International attention has long questioned Australia’s unfinished business with its First Nations people, and this song sits squarely within that conversation.

In this sense, “A Sign of the Times” feels part of a broader movement in Australian cultural expression — driven by a shared desire, need and demand to see justice served within our lifetimes. It speaks to a country done with waiting, ready to re-order priorities, and willing to take responsibility for justice into its own hands.

The single follows the success of Mack & Cook’s 2025 release “Time Goes By” and will be supported by their national single-release tour, with shows scheduled across NSW, WA, ACT, VIC and QLD.

Mack & Cook’s single “A Sign of the Times” is released to radio and all digital streaming services on Friday 20th February.

Serviced to radio via PlayMPE and Little Sparrow PR

Digital distribution via XELON DIGITAL, Melbourne

MACK & COOK “A SIGN OF THE TIMES” SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR

Saturday 21st February
Side B Vinyl Bar
2 shows 5pm & 8pm
Blackheath NSW
Preview Show
Tickets – https://events.humanitix.com/mack-and-cook-s2pr7l25

Thursday 26th February
The Indie Bar
“Plug & Play” 9pm
Scarborough WA

Friday 27th February
Nannup Music Festival
The Secret Garden
Nannup WA

Saturday 28th February
Nannup Music Festival
Town Hall
Nannup WA

Sunday 1st March
Nannup Brewery
Nannup WA

Sunday 8th March
Servo Food Truck Bar + Mem Davis
Port Kembla NSW
Tickets – https://tinyurl.com/mrm9y8rn

Friday 27th March
Smiths Alternative
Canberra ACT
Tickets – https://tinyurl.com/3p7dhxww

Sunday 29th March
Full Throttle Ranch
Newcastle NSW

Sunday 12th April
Palomino Bar
Enmore NSW

Saturday 18th April
Morty’s Joint
Sawtell NSW

Sunday 10th May
The Retreat Hotel
Brunswick NSW

Saturday 30th May
Sonic Sherpa 3pm
Brisbane

Sunday 31st May
The Junk Bar 8pm
New Farm
Brisbane QLD