Peter Mitchell - Compassionate Bastard

Politicians outdo each other with tough measures to deal with asylum seekers and illegal immigrants. Compassionate Bastard Peter Mitchell Front Cover But someone has to look people in the eye and do the questioning, the arresting, the detaining and the deporting.

For a time, that someone was Peter Mitchell. Hoping for a quiet public-service job, Mitchell walked into the Department of Immigration in 1990 and quickly found himself on the frontline of one of the nation’s most divisive issues.

With the wry humour shared by those in uniform, Mitchell describes his early years collaring illegal workers and visa overstayers. But things became a lot more challenging when he was appointed manager of the infamous Villawood detention centre, and later of Operation Safe Haven, ministering to the desperate flood of refugees from Kosovo and East Timor.

How do you reconcile your sense of compassion and decency with the demands of fair and proper procedure? For the first time, Compassionate Bastard takes us behind the razor wire to reveal the sometimes difficult, sometimes farcical processes our public servants are duty-bound to implement while dealing with people in traumatic circumstances.

Videos and Podcasts

Audio: Conversations with Richard Fidler 28th June 2012


Wheeler Centre 07 November 2011


Ian Macphee Officially Launches Compassionate Bastard by Peter Mitchell 300911

Peter Mitchell Launch of Compassionate Bastard Gleebooks 300911

Peter Mitchell launch conclusion - Gleebooks 300911



Peter Mitchell, Compassionate Bastard - 7PM Project 24.08.11

Peter Mitchell - Compassionate Bastard - CST on Commercial Radio 5AA Adelaide 08-09-11

Peter Mitchell - Compassionate Bastard - Late Night Live with Phillip Adams 010911

Peter Mitchell ABC Radio 891 Interview with Ian Henschke 080911


Dr Peter Mitchell talks about his PhD thesis - The Compassionate Bastard