The Big Issue Australia

"I was born in Adelaide. When I was little – about one or two – my mum left, and we lived with my dad and stepmum. I have one brother, a half-sister, two stepbrothers, another half-sister and another half-brother. Our dad was in the military, so we moved around a bit: from Adelaide to Sydney to Singleton and back to Sydney, then Adelaide again. "I liked school, I went to a special school. I wasn’t treated well by some of the other kids. I have Fragile X, autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia, but my condition wasn’t medically understood back then. People didn’t understand me, and I found it really hard and hurtful to be misunderstood. "I’ve been selling The Big Issue for around nine years. My dad passed away three years ago, and this job has helped a lot. It’s made me happier. I love selling The Big Issue. I don’t like being told what to do; I like the freedom of working my own time and hours. And I like talking to the nice people, they treat me well, buy me coffees and lunch. Everyone knows me now. I also love the vendor breakfasts – the free food and talking to the other vendors. I help out, and get breakfast for other vendors, too." Michael sells The Big Issue at Pulteney St, Adelaide. You can read more of Michael's story at https://lnkd.in/ggieYmNd 📸 Ben Liew

A big thank you to the Governor-General for visiting The Big Issue and meeting with our program participants last week. Visiting our head office in Melbourne, the Governor-General learnt met with vendors, Women’s Workforce employees and Classroom guest speakers to learn about our different programs and how we help people positively change their lives. Thank you for your time and incredible support. ❤️

It’s Vendor Week, our annual celebration of the vendors that sell The Big Issue magazine! Over the next few days we’ll be sharing stories of The Big Issue vendors and their dedication, strength and resilience. Being a vendor is not easy but rain, hail or shine vendors like Ruth in Adelaide meet their community and work hard every day to change their lives. Share your Vendor Week message below and we’ll be sure to pass them on! ❤️ And don't forget to pick up the special Vendor Week edition from your local vendor.

It's said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so behold: our special Vendor Week Edition, jam-packed with beautiful works by vendor artists to treat your eyes, soul and everything else. Cover star Tony from Perth is one of these Picassos, telling it straight from the 'art.    So, go on and paint the town Big Issue, and get your copy from a vendor today!   Plus: ❤️ Four vendors share words of hope, kindness and wisdom to their teenage selves 🙃 In her first book, SNL comic Kate McKinnon dares young readers to be themselves 🐶 Marielle Heller's movie #Nightbitch proves motherhood can be a dog's life 🍫 Pippa James takes inspiration from Jackson Pollock for her avant-garde choc slice 🎵 And in Ozzities, how a Tina Turner song becomes a national dance craze: they call it Nutbush...

Look who we ran into! 🏃♂️ Thanks to cover star Nedd Brockmann for hanging out with Sydney vendors Dave, Denise, Rachel and Glenn this morning. Pick up a copy of this edition from your local vendor today!

"I was born in Pambula in New South Wales, back in the 70s. I was the second oldest of four. I didn’t know my dad. Mum was always there for me. I used to have migraines when I was a kid – and she would kick everyone out of the house and put pillows all around me and play the Beatles, try and soothe my head a bit. Tears used to just roll out of my eyes from the pain, and that’s what got me in trouble at school a lot. They’d call me “cry baby”, bully me like that. It was hard for me to even try and read. How do I get an education with the migraines? "I was expelled from high school due to racism, and was put into a place called Kirinari, an Aboriginal boys’ hostel, at Cardiff. After I got expelled from there, I ran away from home at 13, I wasn’t getting along with my stepfather. I was living on the streets at a very young age. "I started at The Big Issue in South Australia 22 years ago, maybe longer. I’ve sold in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and now Sydney. People’s generosity has always been good with The Big Issue. I like telling the story of when I started. I was sitting in the alleyway and there was a lady who had a small business, a shop, and I’d only sold five magazines and I started getting upset. I was very hungry and had nowhere to live. So she took me to the pub, bought me a counter meal, gave me $30 and bought me a beer. She opened doors for me again. I didn’t feel like I had anyone or anything. It’s that kindness of people – I’ve stuck with The Big Issue since, I enjoy it. I’ve found it hard to hold a job, and I can start and stop when I want with The Big Issue. I’m my own boss. "Life’s starting to get better. I’ve only just got my own place, in Glebe, coming up to six months. It’s just getting used to having somewhere after all the years of living in a vehicle or on the street. It’s getting that stability underneath me again." Adam sells The Big Issue on Pitt St Mall, Sydney. You can read his full story at https://lnkd.in/g8VP7PQM 📸 Michael Quelch

Congratulations to The Big Issue Classroom guest speakers Ray and Deb on their marriage! 💍 Deb shares their story below: “Ray and I met on 29 October 2008 after talking online for three months. I was very nervous when meeting Ray in person for the first time. He made it worse as he was the very last person off the aircraft and into the terminal! “We would catch up every two weeks with the help of The Big Issue, as Ray was a vendor in Geelong and would save money for airfares and spending money. He did this for nine months, then moved to Maitland in New South Wales to live with me and my carer Scott. After three years we moved to Melbourne where I became a vendor alongside Ray. In 2015, we approached The Big Issue Classroom to become guest speakers, talking to university and high school students about homelessness and marginalisation. “We now have a six-year-old daughter called Faye Joyce-Maree. Ray asked me to marry him over five years ago and we got married on 21 October 2024 at Melbourne Marriage Registry, South Yarra. What brought us together is our life experience of homelessness – and love.” Feel free to leave any well-wishes in the comments below. 🤍

Unstoppable marathon man Nedd Brockmann 🏃♂️ has raced from WA to NSW and smashed 50km in 50 days, and now he's crossed the finish line to race onto our cover!    In his Letter To My Younger Self Nedd reveals the man behind the mileage (and the mullet), confessing that he doesn't even like running all that much 😳 His monster athletic stunts are all in the name of raising funds to combat homelessness, and after you've read this summery, sweaty, inspiring edition, you'll be cheering him on too.   Plus: 🔔 More unorthodox hobbies: anyone for a round of bell-ringing, pinball or finger wrestling? 🏈 The great Helen Garner champions her grandson's footy team in new book The Season 📎 #Severance is back! Creator Dan Erickson clocks back into corporate dystopia 🎥 Hear from the director of The Brutalist, 2025's awards-season fave 🍗 Tony Tan gets saucy and sentimental with his mum's Roast Chicken recipe   📸 Tobias Rowles/Body+Soul

Meet vendor Ron ⭐ Ron sells The Big Issue at His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth "I was born in Subiaco. I grew up in Perth with my younger brother John and my mum and dad, until Dad died when I was 12. After that it was just the three of us. "I didn’t mind school, it was alright. I played a fair bit of sport, and I was a pretty good runner and really enjoyed the sports carnivals, until I was diagnosed with epilepsy – then I had to slow down on sport and be a bit more careful in case I had a seizure. "Mum needed a bit of help after Dad passed away, so I ended up leaving school a bit early so I could give her a hand. My first job after I left school was selling The Daily News newspaper. Then I sold The Sunday Times in Maylands for a while before I ended up selling The West Australian in the city centre, right where the Underground Station is now. That’s where I met Steve, who was a Big Issue vendor. He told me I should sign up: that’s how I started at The Big Issue and how I got to meet everyone, all the other vendors. "I have been selling on the streets of Perth for so long I feel like I know everyone. A lot of people stop for chats or to say hello. Even Jim, our old boss, stops and buys a magazine now and again. "My brother has been a Big Issue vendor too, but he is taking a break because of some health issues. We still catch up every week or so; we get lunch or breakfast at the Citiplace Community Centre – the bacon and eggs are the best. "I’m very happy selling The Big Issue – I’m going to keep doing it until I retire. The Big Issue is my family, and I hope one day that I might even be on the cover!" Fantastic work! You can read Ron's full story here: https://lnkd.in/gjz4hNTa 📷 Ross Swanborough

"My wish is for peace for everyone worldwide…and for St Kilda to win the AFL Grand Final. I wish all my customers happiness and peace for 2025. Thanks to my customers very much for their support." Visit Denise at Martin Place & Macquarie St, or catch her in The Big Issue 2025 Calendar ⭐ Copies available from vendors or at our online store: https://lnkd.in/gmQkZ8fv