Eddie Betts

“I think 10-year-old Eddie Betts would be surprised how his life ended up,” says our cover star. “It’s pretty surreal. I still kind of pinch myself.”

Eddie Betts is an all-round super star. From playing 350 AFL games for Carlton and Adelaide, to overcoming low literacy to pen best-selling children’s books with his wife, to raising five kids, and advocating for the next generation of First Nations footballers, Betts now has his sights set on an animated TV show for NITV and Netflix: Eddie’s Lil’ Homies.

More highlights in this edition:

• People experiencing homelessness are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Living and working on the street during an extreme heatwave can take a dangerous physical toll, as street paper vendors from around the world reveal.
• Scott Watkins-Sully, who lives in a caravan with his family, pens an eye-opening personal essay about the effects of extreme heat in the Australian summer.
• Henry Winkler denies the claim that he’s the nicest guy in showbiz, but his heartfelt, hilarious Letter to My Younger Self suggests otherwise.
• Author and activist Tony Birch paints a vivid portrait of women, children, justice and class in 1960s suburban Melbourne.
• US singer-songwriter Julie Byrne discusses the double bind of turning her personal grief into artistic inspiration.
• UK director Andrew Haigh muses on the role of shame, regret, redemption and joy in queer love stories.
• Meatsmith’s Troy Wheeler shares his mouth-watering recipe for Salt-Baked Chicken.

PLUS: start your year off right with The Big Issue Calendar.