James Morrow: Labor has failed to learn from a crisis of its own making

As Labor stares down the barrel of a detainee crisis largely of its own making, ALP figures from the PM down will surely be thinking back to the last time they held power, writes James Morrow.

History may not repeat, Mark Twain once suggested, but it often rhymes.

As Labor stares down the barrel of a detainee crisis largely of its own making, ALP figures from the prime minister on down will surely be thinking back to the last time they held power.

Remember back when Kevin Rudd swept to power in 2007?

The papers were full of commentary saying that the country had shifted irrevocably to the left, that demographic shifts meant the Liberals were a dying brand, and that Kevin Rudd (Kevin Rudd!) would be a historic figure, a Whitlam revolutionary with Robert Menzies’ political longevity.

Labor barely scraped in in 2010, and in 2013 was curtly ejected by Tony Abbott (a man who, if you’re not hearing the rhymes yet, was also pronounced unelectable and a man the country would never vote for).

One of the biggest issues that led to the ALP’s demise?

Former PM Kevin Rudd and current PM Anthony Albanese.

Chaotic border management, especially the near-daily disaster of illegal boat arrivals and all the human carnage that went along with it.

Now, Anthony Albanese faces a startlingly similar set of circumstances as two of the detainees released in the wake of the High Court’s ruling on indefinite detention now stand accused of crimes in the community – one of them quite serious ones at that.

The immediate issues are two-fold.

First there are the revelations that the government and particularly Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil completely mismanaged the case of “NZYQ”, the Myanmar refugee who raped a ten year old boy and deluded themselves about the outcome.

This makes the government look incompetent.

Recently released detainee Aliyawar Yawari has been charged with two counts of indecent assault since his release Picture: Paul Garvey

Second, there is the fact that their planned legislation being put up Thursday will not end the issue and will only lead to further court challenges.

This will just add to the suspicion that the government doesn’t really have its heart in border protection.

Remember, Anthony Albanese opposed mandatory detention, temporary protection visas, and offshore processing.

History may not repeat, Mark Twain once suggested, but it often rhymes.

The prime minister comes from the left of the Labor party, where open borders are almost an article of faith, if one not necessarily spoken much of outside the temple.

Adding to this is concerns around energy, economics, national security, and immigration and multiculturalism.

Labor talks a big game on all these issues but as for the results?

Well, the rhymes are getting ever more obvious.