'At 40 you're just getting started!' Oprah Winfrey, 61, praises Tina Arena's stand against ageism at the ARIAs and tells women 'you get to decide when you stop'

She had a nation in raptures after using her induction into the ARIA Hall Of Fame to address ageism in the music industry.

And it seems Tina Arena's conviction that women 'over 40 are still in the game', has reached far beyond the shores of Australia to the ears of another influential female personality.

Oprah Winfrey, 61, has heaped praise the 48-year-old singer, and speaking to Sunrise on Wednesday exclaimed: 'First of all, [at] 40 you're just getting started!'

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Empowering: Oprah Winfrey has echoed the words of Tina Arena's now famous ARIAs speech, telling women on Wednesday that 'you get to decide when you stop'

The long-reigning queen of daytime television, who holds no shortage of influence among her numerous supporters and in the United States at large, had some empowering words of her own for middle-aged women.

'Not only do you get to decide when you stop you get to decide when you start again,' she said.

'I see so many women who reach a certain age and they think, "oh well it's over", or "I have to fit into the box that the world has said that I belong in," but you get to decide. 

'Until your last breath you get to decide.'

'Women over 40 are still in the game': The talk-back queen was commenting on Tina's stand against ageism in the music industry 

Strong words: She told middle-aged women, 'Until your last breath you get to decide'

The much loved talk-back legend is preparing to offer many of her pearls of wisdom to the Australian audiences of her talk, An Evening With Oprah, which kicks off in Melbourne on Wednesday evening. 

She added to the breakfast show that women should feel free to choose how they are defined.

'Actually, my favourite definition of what it means to be free comes from a movie I did a long time ago called Beloved, and in that movie the character says, "Freedom is waking up in the morning and deciding for yourself what to do with the day",' she said.

'So I think if you want to live your life as a free woman... it's about being able to decide for yourself what you want to do with your life, no matter what age.' 

After four decades in the music industry, Tina was honoured at last week's ARIA awards in Sydney where she made clear she has no plans of going anywhere.

Ready to inspire: Oprah is in Australia for her talk, An Evening With Oprah, which kicks off in Melbourne on Wednesday evening

Long time no see: She was last in the country in 2010 when she hosted her show from the Opera House

'Ladies over 40 are still in the game,' she said, with a nod towards Kylie Minogue, 47 - who presented her with the coveted award - before mentioning fellow female stablemates Madonna, 57, Jennifer Lopez, 46, and Annie Lennox, 60. 

'Keep doing what you're doing, ladies, because we will decide when it is time for us to stop,' she said to rollicking applause.

'I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just trying to make the most of it.'

At a small media conference afterwards, the Chains hitmaker added that she did believe commercial radio stations were 'ageist', asking who it was that decided when her 'life was not valuable' anymore once she reached a certain age. 

'Still in the game': During her ARIAs speech Tina acknowledged her fellow female stablemates who are 'over 40' including Kylie Minogue, who presenter her with the award

'I do believe radio has been a bit ageist,' she said. 

'Who decides in radio a woman at a certain point in her life no longer becomes valuable? Why shouldn't she be allowed the platform to be able to express what it is that she has to say. 

'Why is it about our age and looks? There's a big difference between a young lady of twenty years of age and a woman in her forties who has something to say.

'What I have struggled with is the complete ostracism of a woman at a certain age. You need to be proud of your age, man or woman.'

Tina told Daily Mail Australia on the red carpet that she believed her induction was 'well over due'.

'Awards are not things that you pick up wherever you go,' she said. 

'I think this one has the meaning that it does because it's a long time and because I think it is well over due.' 

About time! Tina told Daily Mail Australia on the red carpet that she believed her induction into the Hall Of Fame was 'well over due'