We pretend there has been change under Labor but hundreds of refugees are still in detention

‘The Nadesalingam family’s return to Biloela should be celebrated, but it should not be confused with fundamental change. Nothing has changed.’ Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The return of the Nadesalingam family to Biloela was one of the first acts by the new Labor government in Australia. Happy snaps and footage of the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and some of his ministers with the family were splashed all over the media. The release of the family was widely welcomed and celebrated by the public.

Without a doubt, the Nadesalingam family were victims of a cruel policy by the Liberal government, and their return to the home they had been snatched from should be celebrated. But we need to look at the wider picture.