Costello, climate change overshadow detention announcement. Then, the big showdown Bolta talked up on the Coalition’s emissions trading scheme stance comes – and Nelson gets rolled. Meanwhile, the Labor government has basically done away with mandatory detention. I would venture to suggest that is rather more important than all this other confected nonsense. — Larvatus Prodeo

Two cheers for Labor. For the end of the brutal policy of mandatory detention, introduced by the Hawke-Keating government and hardened repeatedly by the Howard government (notable participants who deserve continued obloquy include Philip Ruddock, Peter Reith and Amanda Vanstone) and the intervention by Peter Garrett to protect remaining cassowary habitat near Mission Beach. — John Quiggan

Mandatory detention (sort of) scrapped. Quite rightly, this statement makes no reference to any impact on unauthorised arrivals or spurious links to ‘border protection’. That’s because mandatory indefinite detention never had any impact on such matters, despite all the misleading mythology to the contrary. — Andrew Bartlett

Detention centres. I can’t see anyone sensible objecting to the notion of only locking up those who are deemed a threat. Also, the idea of quarterly reviews and placing the onus on the department to justify detention seems reasonable. — Tim Dunlop