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# The Big Issue: Australia

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://thebigissue.org.au/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Posts
- [How We Talk About Homelessness Matters](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/how-we-talk-about-homelessness-matters/): Behind every conversation about homelessness is a person with hopes, strengths and relationships. The words we choose can reinforce stereotypes or build understanding, shaping public attitudes and the solutions we’re willing to support.
- [The Us in Census](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/the-us-in-census/): When the 2026 Census comes knocking, every Australian needs to be seen, heard and counted – including people who are experiencing homelessness. Here’s how this year’s national count is going beyond the data to meet people where they’re at. 
- [Back to the Archives 1999: Nudism in Winter](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-1999-nudism-in-winter/): This edition, we go back to this (under)cover story about one of the world’s most misunderstood subcultures, written by then-freelancer (and current Communications and Editorial Manager!) Jen Vuk.
- [Can You See Me? Looking Beyond the Census Numbers](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/can-you-see-me-looking-beyond-the-census-numbers/): Thirty years in the making, the day has finally arrived – our 30th Birthday Edition is here!
- [Fried Crispy Eggplant (Batanjan Makli)](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/fried-crispy-eggplant-batanjan-makli/): "This eggplant is one of those recipes that instantly takes me back to our family floor gatherings. It’s simple, humble and made from ingredients many people overlook, yet it proves that the most memorable meals don’t come from restaurants but from a home filled with love, fresh produce and people gathered around the same table…or, in our case, the same newspaper on the floor.  " - Fatimah Omran
- [Back to the Archives 2024: The Weeping Woman](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2024-weeping-woman/): This edition, we’re republishing a Fiction Edition favourite: Aidan Prewett’s short story about the 1986 theft of a Picasso from the NGV, now adapted into his debut novel.
- [Listen to This…](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/listen-to-this/): “Being musical” means much more to Cherie Gilmour than singing or playing in tune. 
- [Fairy Bread Marshmallow Cupcakes](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/fairy-bread-marshmallow-cupcakes/): "The moist vanilla cake reminds me of the buttery bread, but it’s the homemade marshmallow frosting that makes these cupcakes something truly special. "
- [Simply Sam](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/simply-sam/): Behind the scenes with Sam Neill: the actor who has shared a filmset with Meryl Streep, Judy Davis, a pack of dinosaurs and, recently
- [Back to the Archives 2012: Time is on their side](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2012-time-is-on-their-side/): It's time to spin the clock back - this time to 2012 when The Rolling Stones were celebrating 50 years together. Fourteen years later, they're still proving
- [Baechu Jeon (Wombok Pancake)](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/baechu-jeon-wombok-pancake/): My favourite was their baechu jeon, which consists of a fresh, juicy wombok leaf coated in the lightest chewy batter. It was forever moreish, until you were too full to eat any more.
- [Back to the Archives 1996: Remembering Archie and Ruby](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-1996-archie-and-ruby/): This edition, we’re rewinding to the NAIDOC Week right after our very first birthday, when a profile of the late musical power couple Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter appeared in our second ever edition.
- [30th Birthday Dinner Party](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/30th-birthday-dinner-party/): Who would you choose to cook for your dream birthday dinner? To celebrate our 30th birthday, we invited a handful of celebrity chefs you’ll likely recognise – along with someone who’s a bit of a local celebrity in our eyes – to help us throw a dinner party to remember.
- [On Sale Now: The Big Issue 30th Birthday Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/on-sale-now-the-big-issue-30th-birthday-edition/): Thirty years in the making, the day has finally arrived – our 30th Birthday Edition is here!
- [Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce by Big Issue vendor MBK](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/sticky-date-pudding-with-caramel-sauce-by-big-issue-vendor-mbk/): Tastes Like Home “Everybody likes sticky date pudding, and, if you don’t, you can stop reading now. ” – The Big Issue Vendor MBK. MBK shares his secret recipe for The Big Issue’s “30th Birthday Dinner Party” menu.
- [Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi by Stephanie Alexander](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/spinach-and-ricotta-gnocchi-by-stephanie-alexander/): Tastes Like Home “My message to young learner cooks has not changed… Always try a new food with an open mind…” – Stephanie Alexander.
- [Flirting with Cat-astrophe](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/flirting-with-cat-astrophe/): A visit to a cat cafe left Mariann B wondering: why don’t they love me back?
- [The Big Issue’s 30th Birthday is Coming Soon](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/the-big-issues-30th-birthday-is-coming-soon/): We’re celebrating our birthday next month with a national campaign designed to put more money directly into the hands of people doing it tough.
- [Mee Kari Penang (Penang White Curry Laksa)](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/mee-kari-penang-penang-white-curry-laksa/): Tastes like home “Mee Kari Penang, or what many know as Penang White Curry Laksa, is the bowl we turn to when we need comfort. It is our reset button, like an edible exhale.”
- [Back to the Archives 2018: David Attenborough](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2018-david-attenborough/):  
- [Rolled Beef and Pancetta Stew](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/rolled-beef-and-pancetta-stew/): Tastes like home “In my family, Rolled Beef and Pancetta Stew, known to us simply as umido, isn’t just something we cook. It’s a piece of our history and something I’ve always felt was synonymous with home.“
- [The Big Issue Launches Appeal for 30th Birthday](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/the-big-issue-launches-appeal-for-30th-birthday/): In our 30th year, The Big Issue has launched a new appeal to create more opportunities for people to support those experiencing homelessness, marginalisation and disadvantage.
- [Back to the Archives 2004: Diary of a Pregnant Woman](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2004-diary-of-a-pregnant-woman/): In 2026, The Big Issue celebrates its 30th birthday – the perfect time to revisit our fave stories from the past three decades. For Mother’s Day, we flip back to Ed#208 – the grand finale of one woman’s hilarious and heartfelt pregnancy journey, chronicled across ten editions of the magazine.
- [Don’t Fear the Reaper: Death Cafes](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/dont-fear-the-reaper-death-cafes/): If the end is inevitable, we might as well talk about it openly. Welcome to a death cafe event, where strangers meet to share dreams, fears and bickies.
- [Kubba bi raz u patata](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/kubba-bi-raz-u-patata/): Tastes like home “Nothing represents Jewish-Iraqi cuisine more than kubba (also known as kibbeh). Kibbeh is easy to find all across the Levant in endless variations, the most common probably being Syrian fried kibbeh from Aleppo, with its shell of cracked bulgur wheat and a filling of lamb and pine nuts.“
- [Back to the Archives 2012: Letters from Grandad](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2012-letters-from-grandad/): In 2026, The Big Issue celebrates its 30th birthday – the perfect time to revisit our fave stories from the past three decades. For Anzac Day, we’re turning back the pages to Andy Drewitt’s remarkable family story of long-lost letters and the enduring ache of war.
- [Pepper Cream Shorties & Cacio e Pepe Mash](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/pepper-cream-shorties-cacio-e-pepe-mash/): Tastes like home. “Copious amounts of peppercorns, rich beef sticky and tender, and creamy mash: something so deeply comforting you could eat it with a spoon straight from the pot. It is rich, comforting, a little nostalgic, and absolutely meant to be eaten with people you love.“
- [Tastes Like Easter](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/tastes-like-easter/): We’ve got your Easter long-weekend menu sorted with a festive selection of Tastes Like Home favourites.
- [Back to the Archives 2018: Waste Not, Want Not](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2018-waste-not-want-not/): In 2026, The Big Issue celebrates its 30th birthday – the perfect time to revisit our fave stories from the past three decades. For Earth Day, here’s a reminder that life in plastic is not so fantastic.
- [Decadent Six-Layer Chocolate Cake](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/decadent-six-layer-chocolate-cake/): Tastes like home. “To me, that’s what “tastes like home” really means. It’s not just about chocolate – although this recipe is loaded with it! It’s the feeling that comes with sharing something made with heart. A cake that brings people together and turns an ordinary moment into something memorable.”
- [Back to the Archives 2006: Heath Ledger Cover Story](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/back-to-the-archives-2006-heath-ledger-cover-story/): In 2026, The Big Issue celebrates its 30th birthday – the perfect time to revisit our fave stories from the past three decades. We’re rewinding 20 years to our encounter with the legendary Heath Ledger – Rose Byrne’s much-missed friend and co-star.
- [Wings and Things](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/wings-and-things/): Musician Gaelynn Lea, on the glittery wheelchair accessory that turned daily life into a fairytale.
- [Barramundi Cooked in Paperbark](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/barramundi-cooked-in-paperbark/): Tastes like home. “The paperbark gives the whole barramundi a smoky taste reminiscent of the campfire. If you can’t get paperbark, this fish is still delicious when cooked in foil or baking paper. I’ve made it both ways, and by having the barramundi well wrapped in the oven, the lemon myrtle infuses into the fish...
- [The Big Issue Creating Work for Women in Perth](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/the-big-issue-creating-work-for-women-in-perth/): The Big Issue’s new National Customer Support Centre officially opened in Perth this week, creating opportunities for women who face significant barriers to entering the workforce and building financial independence.
- [Zozzona](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/zozzona/): Tastes like home. Rigatoni alla zozzona… a joyful collision of the great Roman pastas – cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara and gricia – with a cameo from a sausage. I love that it isn’t famous. It doesn’t perform. It’s quietly happy to satisfy.
- [Vendor Sharyn – Letter to my younger self](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/vendor-sharyn-letter-to-my-younger-self/): It's Vendor Week and Queensland vendor Sharyn writes a letter to her younger self
- [Vendor Simon – Letter to my Younger Self](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/vendor-simon-letter-to-my-younger-self/): It's Vendor Week and NSW vendor Simon writes a letter to his younger self
- [Dry Stir-Fry Egg Noodles and Chives](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/dry-stir-fry-egg-noodles-and-chives/): Tastes like home. These noodles have made their way into my supper clubs and dinner parties now. I love how easy it is to make. You don’t need a wok – just intention, good seasoning and fresh ingredients. Everyone always instinctively reaches for it. Kids love it, adults love it and even the pickiest eater will find a way...
- [Wintringham: This Must Be the Place](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/wintringham-this-must-be-the-place/): Australian not-for-profit Wintringham supports people over 50 who face homelessness and disadvantage, ensuring the winters of their lives are warm – spent in comfort and community. We stopped by for a visit. Strolling through Gilgunya Wintringham in Melbourne’s inner north on a sunny morning, it’s hard to not be struck by how pleasant the grounds are. A driveway leads into the...
- [Rissoles with Gravy](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/rissoles-with-gravy/): Tastes like home. This recipe, a slightly punchier variation on the rissoles I grew up eating, is not reflective of my ethnic background. I grew up eating kielbasa, liverwurst, petit-suisse and pickled everything, but true-blue rissoles will always signal to me the comfort of my Mum’s care, from cradle to middle age. These rissoles are a...
- [Horo Show](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/horo-show/): What’s in the stars for you in 2026? Sophie Quick is horoscoping things out, and the signs point to yikes. 
- [Sai Oua Scotch Eggs](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/sai-oua-scotch-eggs/): Tastes like home. When you slice into a sai oua Scotch egg, the yolk spills out, golden against the fiery crust, and it feels like a perfect metaphor for migration and memory: familiar at the core, but wrapped in something new. It’s a crunchy, spicy, bright, showstopping snack, and a reminder that home is not one place or flavour.
- [It’s 2026: Here’s 26 Ways to Make a Change ](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/its-2026-heres-26-ways-to-make-a-change/): Look at you go, starting off the year strong by supporting a Big Issue vendor! Here’s a big list of worthy causes, random acts of kindness and nice new habits that’ll make this year count – and potentially change the rest of your life, too. 
- [Molletes – Toasted Bread Roll with Beans and Cheese](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/molletes-toasted-bread-roll-with-beans-and-cheese/): Tastes like home. Now molletes haven’t got the rock star fame of tacos or tostadas in Australia, but they are extremely popular in Mexico because they are cheap, delicious and super-easy to make. Because of this, molletes are pretty much an essential food group for students all over Mexico.
- [Tastes Like Christmas](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/tastes-like-christmas/): Whether you’re headed to Friendsmas, hosting the family or just after some sensational summertime food, we’ve got your menu sorted with a festive selection of Tastes Like Home favourites.
- [2025 Impact Report](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/2025-impact-report/): We are proud to share our 2025 Impact Report — a reflection of the lives changed, and the communities strengthened through your support.
- [Humbug](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/humbug/): Eleanor Elliott Thomas is immune to the Christmas spirit…until Boxing Day, when Santa gifts the gossip.
- [Good Tidings We Bring](https://thebigissue.org.au/article/good-tidings-we-bring/): After a difficult 2025, Michael Black says it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in his boarding house – and 2026 should be merry and bright. 
- [Rick Stein’s Hazelnut Pavlovas](https://thebigissue.org.au/recipe/rick-steins-hazelnut-pavlovas/): Tastes like home. I am a bit of a purist about pavlova. As it is one of Australia’s classic dishes, I feel it should be made with something exotic like passionfruit… but i’ve made it suitable for winter by using hazelnuts and frozen berries.

## Pages
- [Feedback](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/education/feedback/):  
- [Feedback](https://thebigissue.org.au/get-involved/partner-volunteering/feedback/): Please rate your experience volunteering with The Big Issue.
- [Volunteering](https://thebigissue.org.au/get-involved/partner-volunteering/): As valued partners of The Big Issue, volunteering gives you a chance to make a direct impact in the community, support individuals in need, and help run a variety of essential programs that foster long-term change. Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting our mission by assisting with events, providing vendor support, and helping with logistical tasks that make the programs run smoothly.
- [Our Workshops](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/education/our-workshops/): Workshops
- [Thank you for your contribution](https://thebigissue.org.au/thank-you-for-your-contribution/): Thank you for your contribution! Every little bit helps our vendors help themselves.
- [Thank You](https://thebigissue.org.au/donation/thank-you/): Thank you!
- [Kids Cover Competition](https://thebigissue.org.au/kids-cover/): Mavis’ adorable character design, expert shading and diverse choice of wildlife blew The Big Issue team away!
- [Calendar](https://thebigissue.org.au/calendar/): Bring The Big Issue straight into your pocket! By syncing our 2026 Digital Calendar to your device, you’ll stay up to date with:
- [25 Years Big](https://thebigissue.org.au/25-years-big/): https://vimeo.com/558513949?fl=pl&fe=cm
- [Social Impact Project](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/education/social-impact-project/): The Big Issue’s Social Impact Project is now open for university participation in 2026. This unique, flexible program connects students with one of Australia’s leading social enterprises to develop real-world skills while tackling social and environmental challenges.
- [Workplace Learning](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/workplace-learning/): Programs
- [Homeless World Cup](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/street-soccer-program/homeless-world-cup/): The Street Socceroos are a team of players chosen from The Big Issue Community Street Soccer Program to represent Australia at the Homeless World Cup.
- [News](https://thebigissue.org.au/news/): News Articles Search Search The Big Issue Magazine Homeless Contribute Donate Charity
- [The Magazine](https://thebigissue.org.au/the-magazine/): Read more
- [Privacy](https://thebigissue.org.au/privacy/): Our privacy commitment
- [Employment](https://thebigissue.org.au/employment/): There are no current vacancies at the moment.
- [Where We Play](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/street-soccer-program/where-we-play/): Reid Park, Elimatta St (opposite the Australian War Memorial) Reid Australian Capital Territory 2601Wednesday 2:00pm-4:00pmContact: Ronnie MacLeod
- [Book a Workshop](https://thebigissue.org.au/get-involved/book-a-workshop/): Learn More
- [Get Involved](https://thebigissue.org.au/get-involved/): Learn More
- [Gifts in Will](https://thebigissue.org.au/donation/gifts-in-will/): Since 1996 The Big Issue has helped provide pathways to low-barrier employment for people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage and marginalisation.
- [Donations](https://thebigissue.org.au/donation/): Every donation helps people change their lives through meaningful work
- [Special 30th Anniversary Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/special-30th-anniversary-edition/): Programs
- [Issue](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/)
- [Subscribe to The Big Issue Magazine](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/the-magazine/the-magazine-subscribe/): The Big Issue is a fortnightly magazine, so you’ll receive each edition roughly every two weeks.
- [Buy a Magazine](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/the-magazine/buy-a-magazine/): The best way to buy a magazine is from a vendor.
- [Advertise With Us](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/the-magazine/advertise-with-us/): The Big Issue is a lively, informative and often cheeky general-interest magazine with a social conscience. We are media that makes a difference – to the people who sell our mag, and through the stories we are able to tell every edition.
- [How To Purchase](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/the-magazine/how-to-purchase/): The best way to buy a magazine is from a vendor.
- [Contribute](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/the-magazine/contribute/): The Big Issue is an independent magazine that publishes informative and entertaining articles on a huge variety of subjects including arts and entertainment, street culture, lifestyle and personal profiles. We are always looking for good-quality work, so if you would like to be a contributor read the below documents for more information.
- [Homes For Homes](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/homes-for-homes/): Homes for Homes, created by The Big Issue, is a simple, sustainable and collaborative solution which raises funds for social and affordable housing through donations from property sales. It’s a promise that property owners make, when a home registered with Homes for Homes sells, 0.1% of the sale price is donated. These funds are pooled and granted to community housing providers to increase the supply of social and affordable housing.
- [Classroom](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/education/): The Big Issue Classroom workshops are a unique educational experience providing school, tertiary and corporate groups with a real-life insight into homelessness and disadvantage, as experienced by thousands of Australians every night.
- [Street Soccer Program](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/street-soccer-program/): The Community Street Soccer Program, known as Street Soccer, is a fun and exciting initiative of The Big Issue that uses the power of sport to change lives.
- [Women’s Workforce](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/womens-workforce/): The Women’s Workforce was established in 2010 to meet this need and began by providing employment opportunities to women experiencing marginalisation and disadvantage through packing and sending subscription copies of The Big Issue magazine. As the skills of our women and size of our workforce increased, we started fulfilling procurement jobs for government and corporate organisations, providing business to business services with a social impact.
- [Street Magazine](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/the-magazine/): Vendors earn $5 per magazine, earning a meaningful income
- [Our Programs](https://thebigissue.org.au/our-programs/): Learn More
- [Find a Vendor Support Office](https://thebigissue.org.au/become-a-vendor/): Anyone can become a vendor and start selling the magazine straight away. We support people from all walks of life, including people experiencing homelessness, people with disability and people who are finding it difficult to get other work.
- [Contact Us](https://thebigissue.org.au/contact-us/): Basement Level227 Collins StreetMelbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9663 4533Phone: (03) 9663 4522 (editorial)Fax: (03) 9639 4076
- [Newsletter](https://thebigissue.org.au/newsletter/): By checking this box, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
- [Media](https://thebigissue.org.au/media/): The Big Issue welcomes media enquiries regarding any of our programs or operations. We have staff, vendors and program participants available for media opportunities nationally. Please get in touch via the form on the Contact Us page, or by contacting our team using the below information:
- [About Us](https://thebigissue.org.au/about-us/): We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and creating work opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, marginalisation and disadvantage. Simply put, we help people help themselves.
- [Home](https://thebigissue.org.au/): Our social enterprises include The Big Issue magazine, the Women’s Workforce and The Big Issue Classroom. We also run the Community Street Soccer Program and Homes for Homes.

## Issues
- [Can You See Me?](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/can-you-see-me/): Everyone deserves to be seen, heard, included. Counted. On 11 August, that's what the 2026 Australian Census is aiming to do. But how can we make sure that some of our most vulnerable communities don't get left behind? In this eye-opening edition, we're looking at the human stories behind the data: at people experiencing homelessness or disadvantage, and how the Census is meeting them where they're at.
- [Rolling Stones](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/rolling-stones/): Along with a playlist of essential Stones tracks, we’ve got all the behind-the-scenes details of the record that’s got fans and critics alike raving: from playing American blues in Britain, to paying tribute to Amy Winehouse. Can’t get no satisfaction? You’re not alone. But Richards says it’s simple to find – if you put your mind to it: “You make music, you learn how to do it and you play with the greatest. As long as you’re playing with the guys that you’re happy with, you never know what’s gonna come out.”
- [Future Dreaming](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/future-dreaming/): In celebration of NAIDOC Week, we’re putting the spotlight on First Nations artists honouring the old ways through art that feels vital, vibrant and new. Inside, meet artists including Girramay, Kuku Yalanji and Yidindji artist Tony Albert, whose lovingly collected assembly of kitsch Aboriginal souvenirs invites us to consider the past in a new light, and cover star Kaylene Whiskey, the multimedia Pitjantjatjara artist whose work throws a sparkly lasso around culture, colour and good cheer.
- [The Matildas](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/the-matildas/): “I’ve seen the future,” proclaimed soccer writer Aidan Ormond back in 2009, after witnessing the most exhilarating goal from a then unknown 15-year-old. That audacious goal kicker: Sam Kerr. As she leads the Matildas through the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ormond takes us on a green and gold journey through the team’s tumultuous history – full of historic highs, heartbreaking lows and athletic legends who’ve paved the way for this year’s side – as we celebrate the beautiful game.
- [Special 30th Anniversary Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/special-30th-anniversary-edition/): Thirty years, countless stories…one Big Issue. From its shiny, special edition cover to the golden moments captured inside, this magazine is the ultimate celebration of our history, our people — and you, the readers who have made this 30th anniversary possible.
- [Marilyn Monroe](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/marilyn-monroe/): More highlights in this edition:
- [Grogu: A Star is Born](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/grogu-a-star-is-born/): More highlights in this edition:
- [Celebrating Life](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/celebrating-life/): The only certainty in life is the fact that it ends – so why is it so difficult for us to talk about it? This edition will make you think, feel, cry and laugh, hitting home with three powerful stories of mourning and memory. Meet the death expert who wants to improve the way we grieve; visit a “death cafe” where strangers chat about their lives and afterlives; and learn about the Dutch initiative that memorialises marginalised people before they pass away. We’ve all been changed by the loss of a loved one – or perhaps by facing our own mortality. So, raise a cup and say it with us: here’s to life! More highlights in this edition: How high school students are learning about Anzac history, in inclusive (and fun!) new ways A Letter to My Younger Self from Aussie songstress Vanessa Amorosi Director Warwick Thornton tells us about his bleak yet hopeful new western And tasty Kubba bi raz u patata – Jewish Iraqi dumplings – are a family feast in Tastes Like Home. Read the full recipe here. Get more of The Big Issue right in your inbox – sign up to our fortnightly newsletter here.
- [Earth Day](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/earth-day/): To celebrate Earth Day (22 April), we asked young artists from across the country to send in their eco-themed masterpieces – with one lucky winner emblazoned on the cover. What did we get? Almost 1,000 artworks showing off flora, fauna and stunning landscapes, with a cartoon creation by 12-year-old Mavis taking out the top spot!
- [Rose Byrne](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/rose-byrne/): Byrne, baby, Byrne! After earning a long-deserved Oscar nomination for her role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, breakout Aussie star Rose Byrne takes us through the twists and turns of her decades-long acting career – rising from her Sydney hometown to the heights of Hollywood.
- [Come Together](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/come-together/): In this vibrant edition, we’re passing the mic to people living with disabilities and complex conditions – sharing their experiences in their own poignant words.
- [Jane Goodall](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/jane-goodall/): March 8 is International Women’s Day, and so we’ve packed the magazine with inspiring stories of women leading the way: the leaders, artists, homegrown heroes and changemakers who run the world.
- [Vendor Week 2026](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/vendor-week-2026/): The vendors who sell The Big Issue mean the world to us – and so, to celebrate Vendor Week 2026, we’re going international!
- [Ed Sheeran](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/ed-sheeran/): He’s a chart-topping Grammy winner now, but there was a time when Ed Sheeran was sleeping rough rather than selling out stadiums. In this edition, we’re singing the praises of street performers everywhere, and find that, despite all the hits, Ed’s a very nice guy who loves The Big Issue.
- [David Byrne](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/david-byrne/): This edition, we sit down with musician, dancer and self-described “anthropologist from Mars” David Byrne. Ahead of the Australian leg of his Who is the Sky? Tour, which kicks off this month, the Talking Heads frontman talks life, love and finding meaning in it all.
- [2026 Unleashed](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/2026-unleashed/): As 2025 wraps up and 2026 comes into view, we’ve been thinking about all the opportunities for good deeds a new year brings. We meet the animals leading by example, putting their best paw forward to make life-saving blood donations…and being rewarded handsomely with treats, of course.
- [Christmas](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/christmas/): That’s right, it’s our Big Christmas Issue and it’s got all the trimmings. With Sydney vendor Clem as our Christmas cover star, we’ve got our annual Big Wish Yous from vendors all around the country as they farewell 2025 and make space for the new year. In fact, we’ve got so many well-wishes that we’ve had to add eight extra pages to fit all 140 of them in!
- [Wicked](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/wicked/): Unless you’ve been hiding under a recently fallen house, you would know that Wicked: For Good has hit theatres, concluding the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande). In this edition, take a walk down the Yellow Brick Road with Erivo, as she looks back on the music and magic of her life.
- [AC/DC](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/ac-dc/): With tight riffs and even tighter jeans, AC/DC have had us thunderstruck for more than 50 years. Now the band are about to hit our shores for the final leg of their explosive Power Up world tour. So turn the dial all the way up to 11 and bring out the devil’s horns, as we celebrate Australia’s biggest rock’n’roll band.
- [Bruce Springsteen](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/bruce-springsteen/): “I knew I was going to be messing with a lot of people’s understanding of Bruce, and that was scary,” Jeremy Allen White tells us. In this edition, we speak with the actor about his latest role, portraying the iconic storyteller Bruce Springsteen in new film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
- [Mark Coles Smith](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/mark-coles-smith/): “This film was an outrageous homage to my love of sharks,” says our cover star Mark Coles Smith of his new film Beast of War, whose passion for the big fish earned him the nickname Marky Sharky as a five-year-old in Broome.
- [Miranda Tapsell](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/miranda-tapsell/): “For me, the rom-com genre was the perfect platform to celebrate Aboriginal culture, language and knowledge,” says our cover star Miranda Tapsell, creator and star of new series Top End Bub (a sequel to box-office hit Top End Wedding).
- [John Clarke](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/john-clarke/): “One of the things Mum insisted on is you’ve got to make sure they’re laughing in this film. You can’t get too serious.”
- [Fiction Edition 2025](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/fiction-edition-2025/): Whether you read it on your commute to work or perched in a tree, the annual Fiction Edition – still the country’s biggest-selling fiction magazine – has 11 new short stories to keep you company. Featuring stories from emerging and established writers alike, you’ll encounter ghosts and gargoyles, untangle complicated relationships and form curious new bonds, and turn up the volume on the voice of a loved one. And, maybe you’ll even discover a new favourite writer – before everyone else does.
- [For The Love Of The Game](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/for-the-love-of-the-game/): Picking your footy team is a big decision, a life-long commitment. Are you a Pies supporter or a Sea Eagle? (Hopefully, neither!) Melbourne vendor and Richmond Tigers fan Stephen B has long pondered how people pick their footy side. It’s an idea we’ve turned into an edition that celebrates footy tragics, across the codes, across the country.
- [Yes, I CAN!](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/yes-i-can/): You can, we can, ICAN – meet the folks behind the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. What started in a Melbourne coffee shop has grown into a Nobel Peace Prize-winning collective determined to achieve global disarmament.
- [Pulp](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/pulp/): Fresh from a surprise gig at Glastonbury, we chat to Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker about pumping iron, pop and politics, the importance of boredom, and the challenges of dancing on stage in your sixties: “I have reached an age where you have to take some things seriously.”
- [Jeff Goldblum](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/jeff-goldblum/): “Wait a minute, what do mean? I’ve never done an interview with a title. This interview is called Letter to My – I’m writing it down – to My Younger Self. Hey, I’m already stimulated,” says our cover star Jeff Goldblum, who takes us on a wild ride, from traipsing after dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to playing jazz on stage at Glastonbury.
- [The Beach Boys](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/the-beach-boys/): Vale Brian Wilson, the heart and harmony of The Beach Boys. In this edition, we look back on the life, lyrics and legacy of one of the greatest songwriters of all time: from riding the waves of success in the early 60s as he defined a California sound, to the lush and haunting Pet Sounds album and the tragedy that lurked just below the tides.
- [Jaws](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/jaws/): To receive our fortnightly newsletter, sign up here.
- [A Place to Call Home](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/a-place-to-call-home/): All Queensland grandmother Tracey wants is a safe place to live. After losing her home, she set up camp where she could be close to vital services and her family. That was until the local council sent police to move her, and others, on – be it by force or fine.
- [Poh](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/poh/): Australia’s culinary Beyoncé – almost always known by her mononym – Poh, is back in the MasterChef kitchen! Our cover star sits down with writer Maggie Zhou to talk whipping up laughs and dishing out advice to Back to Win contestants. Reflecting on how food helped her reconnect with culture, Poh is an artist in her element: “Food is the language that keeps surpassing all these other things, beyond language, beyond cultural values,” she tells us. “It’s like the thing that seems to be able to live on.”
- [Pet Food Bank](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/pet-food-bank/): Australia is a nation of animal lovers, but with the ever-soaring cost of living, pet surrenders are on the rise. In this issue, we visit the pet pantries that are popping up across Australia, providing food and other essentials to keep pets and their people together – and speak to the people using these vital services. “It is such a basic necessity to be able to feed your pet, and the fact that they can’t feed their pets does not mean they don’t love them,” says Second Chance Animal Rescue CEO Marisa Debattista.
- [Tom Gleeson](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/tom-gleeson/): “I’ve been given this privileged position, and I have to abuse it.” From tormenting nerds on Hard Quiz to putting fellow comedians through their paces on Taskmaster, telly’s reigning king of comedy Tom Gleeson may have a tough facade, but behind the scenes he tells us he’s a normal dad who loves trigonometry – and swears he’s on good terms with everyone he’s ever made a mean joke about.
- [Sam Pang](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/sam-pang/): “All of them came up with better questions than I would ask me!” Sam Pang might have new talk show, but in this edition, The Big Issue vendors are the ones asking the questions. What’s the best thing about working with funny people? How do you deal with fear? When is Carlton finally going to win a flag? What’s your favourite meal? These are just some of the Big Questions vendors had for late-night TV’s newest host with the most.
- [Pamela Anderson](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/pamela-anderson/): “I spent some time for myself, stripping away this caricature that I created, because I’d started believing that it was true.”
- [Bindi Irwin](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/bindi-irwin/): “When I first had Grace I absolutely, 100 per cent worried that she might not love animals the way I do,” says our cover star Bindi Irwin, who is famously from a long line of animal lovers. “But, of course, she is a total natural. And I don’t think you can learn that kind of connection with animals. She was born with this complete comfort with the natural world.” It’s four-year-old Grace who’s inspired Bindi to write her first book for little eco-warriors. “I swear she has my dad’s personality,” she laughs. “She is like a little scientist, she is surrounded by our amazing wildlife carers and vets all day, and now she role-plays zoo talks with her stuffies – lines them all up, and she asks me questions I can’t even answer!”
- [Bob Dylan](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/bob-dylan/): “Bob Dylan was not only prolific, the work was staggeringly timeless and relevant. And his way of writing means the work still speaks to us. It’s not dated. It’s not lost in another time,” says director James Mangold, as we chat about Dylan’s seismic impact on the world, revisit his back catalogue, and go behind-the-scenes of new biopic A Complete Unknown, starring an Oscar-nominated Timothée Chalamet as the young folk hero.
- [Vendor Week](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/vendor-week/): “I’ve done art for about 20 years or something and I’ve had about five exhibitions in my life,” says our cover star Tony from Perth. “I chose to draw the dog – the dog makes me think of home. I hope people like it: if it makes them happy to look at, then buy the magazine.”
- [Nedd Brockmann](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/nedd-brockmann/): You can measure Nedd Brockmann’s success in any number of ways: in kilometres run, in millions of dollars raised to tackle homelessness, in gallons of his beloved choccy milk. But in our uplifting cover story, this unstoppable runner reveals how he sees himself and his astounding athletic achievements – like running from Cottesloe to Bondi, or smashing 50 marathons in 50 days! “I can’t stand that a group of people are looked past,” Brockmann says of the motivation behind his monster marathons. “No-one wants to be homeless, no-one chooses to be on the street.”
- [Summer Special](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/summer-special/): As the mercury rises and the New Year looms, it’s time to dive into a period of reflection and relaxation. That’s where our arts editors come in handy, sharing their picks for the very best stuff 2024 had to offer in cinema, small screens, music and books. This issue is pure summer refreshment: take the plunge!
- [Merry Christmas!](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/merry-christmas/): ’Twas the lead-up to Christmas, and all through The Big Issue, we’re celebrating the season with warmth and Big Wish Yous. Melbourne vendor Con is our cover Claus, helping to spread the joy of The Big Wish You: an annual compilation of vendors’ messages of gratitude, reflections on the year that was, and their hopes for 2025. Across an extra eight pages, it’s an edition packed with stories capturing every facet of the most wonderful time of the year – Scrooge himself couldn’t resist.
- [Kids Cover](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/kids-cover-2/): We have a winner! This year’s Kids Cover Competition received a record number of entries, and our absolute fave was designed by 12-year-old Frankie Kelly from Newcastle: a sunny, funny vision of Santa’s summer holidays. “I thought it would be really cool to combine the Australian lifestyle with Christmas, to create a scene on the beach,” she says of her stunning artwork. “I’m really into pop art and really bright and colourful pieces, and I wanted to use a few different mediums.”
- [Malala Yousafzai](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/malala-yousafzai/): When Malala Yousafzai speaks, the world takes notice. At 11, she spoke out against the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education. At 15, she survived an assassination attempt. At 17, she won a Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy. Now, at 27, Malala is using her voice to amplify the stories of others through film. “I believe that storytelling is the soul of activism,” Malala tells us. “I know this from my own life and how much my story has resonated with people around the world.”
- [Nagi Maehashi](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/nagi-maehashi/): “I know it’s not normal to honestly lie awake at night and think about chocolate muffins,” says Nagi Maehashi (aka RecipeTin Eats), the home cook who’s become Australia’s favourite foodie thanks to her delicious, nutritious and accessible meals.
- [Amyl and the Sniffers](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/amyl-and-the-sniffers/): Also in this edition:
- [Nick Cave](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/nick-cave/): More highlights in this edition:
- [Sir Ian McKellen](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/sir-ian-mckellen/): You shall not pass…up the chance to hear from a living legend of stage and screen. We sit down with beloved actor Sir Ian McKellen to talk about aging, American politics and his work as a LGBTQ+ rights activist. Back on screens in The Critic, McKellen reveals he’s still feeling the effects of a nasty on-stage fall in June. Even so, he’s planning his return to Middle-earth, reprising his iconic role as Gandalf in a film series: “When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So they better be quick!”
- [Call Of The Wild](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/call-of-the-wild/): What’s that, Skip? You’re on the cover of the latest edition of The Big Issue? Join us on the road, as we celebrate the compassionate vets and vet nurses of Wildlife Victoria’s Travelling Vet Service, who save the lives of Australian animals every day of the week. Photojournalist Doug Gimesy captures these wildlife rescues in his stunning images: uplifting and heartbreaking all at once. Plus: we have a practical guide with hands-on tips to help you protect our native animals, too.
- [Fiction Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/issue/fiction-edition-2024/): There is always something special about our annual Fiction Edition. It’s in the 13 memorable short stories from writers around the country. It’s in the gorgeous illustrations by Alice Lindstrom that make this issue a work of art. It’s in the way fiction expands our worlds, and maybe offers a sense of escape too.

## Media Releases
- [As Australia prepares for Census night, The Big Issue workforce asks: ‘Can You See Us?’](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/as-australia-prepares-for-census-night-the-big-issue-workforce-asks-can-you-see-us/): As Australia marks National Homelessness Week (3–9 August) and prepares for the 2026 Census on 11 August, The Big Issue is doing what it does best – providing a platform to the people often left out of the debate.  
- [The Big Issue Celebrates 30 Years](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-30-years/): On Tuesday 16 June, The Big Issue will celebrate its 30th anniversary on the steps of Flinders Street Station, the very place the magazine’s first edition was sold, marking three decades of impact and supporting Australians doing it tough. 
- [It’s Vendor Week. Here’s why it matters.](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/its-vendor-week-heres-why-it-matters/): Vendor Week (16–20 February) is an invitation to pause and notice what has been quietly working for decades – and what we risk losing if we take it for granted.
- [Set the date: The Big Issue 2026 Calendar celebrating 30th birthday on sale now](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/set-the-date-the-big-issue-2026-calendar-celebrating-30th-birthday-on-sale-now/): Much-loved social enterprise The Big Issue has released their 2026 Calendar, celebrating the mighty milestone of The Big Issue turning 30 next year.
- [The Big Issue celebrates fresh Australian literary talent in annual Fiction Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-fresh-australian-literary-talent-in-annual-fiction-edition/): Brilliant storytelling meets social impact in The Big Issue magazine’s special Fiction Edition, on sale from The Big Issue street vendors and online from Friday 29 August.
- [The Big Issue celebrates vendors with special edition magazine](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-vendors-with-special-edition-magazine/): Street magazine The Big Issue is celebrating magazine vendors all around the country with a special edition of the fortnightly magazine.
- [The Big Issue launches 2025 Calendar celebrating vendors and their hobbies](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-launches-2025-calendar-celebrating-vendors-and-their-hobbies/): Much-loved social enterprise The Big Issue has released their 2025 Calendar, on sale now from your local vendor!
- [The Big Issue celebrates literary talent in milestone 20th Fiction Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-literary-talent-in-milestone-20th-fiction-edition/): The Big Issue is back with its 20th annual Fiction Edition, on sale across Australia from Friday 16 August.
- [The Big Issue magazine turns 28](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-magazine-turns-28/): Street magazine The Big Issue is celebrating 28 years in June, marking the incredible milestone with a very special birthday magazine on sale now. The 28th birthday edition looks back at some of the memorable moments in The Big Issue’s history, since l…
- [The Big Issue celebrates vendors with new magazine and events](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-vendors-with-new-magazine-and-events/): Australian street magazine The Big Issue is commemorating Vendor Week with a special edition of the magazine and exciting activities.
- [The Big Issue launches 2024 Calendar with special vendor stories](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-launches-2024-calendar-with-special-vendor-stories/): Much-loved social enterprise The Big Issue has released their 2024 Calendar, on sale now from your local vendor!
- [Big earnings for The Big Issue vendors](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/big-earnings-for-the-big-issue-vendors/): Between 15-28 September, for every copy of The Big Issue’s current edition vendors purchase, they will receive another one for free.
- [Trent Dalton, Paige Clark and more appear in The Big Issue’s 19th Fiction Edition](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/trent-dalton-paige-clark-and-more-appear-in-the-big-issues-19th-fiction-edition/): The Big Issue is back with its annual Fiction Edition, including original work by popular authors Trent Dalton, Paige Clark, Zoya Patel and Nina Wan, on sale across Australia from Friday 18 August.
- [Street Socceroos set sights for the World Cup](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/street-socceroos-set-sights-for-the-world-cup/): The Street Socceroos, a street soccer team put together by The Big Issue, have been accepted to represent Australia in the upcoming Homeless World Cup being held in Sacramento, California from 8-15 July 2023.
- [New Census figures on homelessness a big issue](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/new-census-figures-on-homelessness-a-big-issue/): Fortnightly street magazine The Big Issue is addressing the new Census numbers on homelessness and housing in the latest edition of the magazine, out on streets today.
- [The Big Issue celebrates vendors and communities with 2023 calendar](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-vendors-and-communities-with-2023-calendar/): Now you can support The Big Issue vendors every day of the year, with The Big Issue 2023 Calendar on sale today!
- [The Big Issue celebrates iconic vendors with 2022 calendar](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-iconic-vendors-with-2022-calendar/): Much-loved social enterprise The Big Issue has officially released their annual calendar – with 2022 calendars on sale from today!
- [The Big Issue in Australia turns 25](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-in-australia-turns-25/): The Big Issue will celebrate 25 years today, marking the quarter-century milestone with a very special bumper birthday magazine edition.
- [The Big Issue Celebrates 25 Years With 2021 Calendar](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-celebrates-25-years-with-2021-calendar/): If you’re looking to leave 2020 behind and start afresh, The Big Issue has you sorted with its 2021 calendar – on sale from today!
- [The Big Issue Releases Fiction Edition 2020](https://thebigissue.org.au/media-release/the-big-issue-releases-fiction-edition-2020/): Iconic Australian street magazine The Big Issue will release its 16th annual Fiction Edition this Friday 2 October, featuring 14 stories from prominent and emerging Australian writers.

## Vendors
- [John](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/john-3/): I think The Big Issue is great because it gives people a work history instead of having no work history at all. That experience can help people move into other careers and jobs in the future. I think that’s really important. 
- [Pat](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/pat-2/): In the end it was the fact that I was a Big Issue vendor that got me considered for the housing, as income from selling The Big Issue was “paid work”, which allowed me to qualify for a Centrelink payment, meaning I’d be able to pay rent.
- [Mathok](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/mathok/): I started selling the magazine at the start of this year. I like it, because I just stand there and say, “Hello, do you to want to buy the magazine?” or something like that. Selling The Big Issue, being outside, talking to different people and doing something like this is good for my mental health. It’s much better than staying home every day, which is not good, you know? 
- [Amanda](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/amanda/): Even though I’ve only been with The Big Issue a few months, it feels exciting to be part of the 30th anniversary. The Big Issue has the other benefit of directly helping the people who sell it. It’s unique that way. I think people like being able to buy something that matters.
- [David S](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/david-s/): I can’t believe The Big Issue is 30. That’s half my life I’ve spent doing this; I turn 60 next year. I don’t do the magazine anymore, just The Big Issue Classroom. I would like to retire sometime in the future. But, once you’ve done The Big Issue, it’s in your system – you can’t get rid of it.
- [Julie](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/julie/): I had about a 15-year hiatus from The Big Issue. I started out in Melbourne in about 2000. I was living in a boarding house and visiting the Sacred Heart in St Kilda every day. They said they had a couple of reps coming out from The Big Issue, and I started from there. My pitch was St Kilda, outside Luna Park…My new pitch is at Museum Station. It’s all about starting up that pitch and building the clientele up again.
- [Cheryl](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/cheryl/): People think that Big Issue vendors are all homeless or that it’s a religious or a political magazine – well, it’s not. The Big Issue isn’t a business; it’s a family.
- [Chantelle](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/chantelle/): I really like selling The Big Issue. I like being in the fresh air, meeting people, having conversations.
- [Hadia](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/hadia/): Working at The Big Issue has been very good for me. Everything here is good. People are friendly and kind, and the managers support us. It has given me confidence and a sense of belonging.
- [Jake](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/jake/): I’ve always lived in Adelaide, except for the eight months I spent in my mother’s womb. I had a severe brain injury when I was seven and I spent a lot of time in hospital. I was unconscious for a long time. I don’t remember too much about it, but I remember seeing flashing red, green and orange. It could have been the fact that my body was wanting to spark back on, or it could have been the hospital lights. 
- [Florentina](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/florentina/): What I really love is the connection I feel with my customers. This is what selling The Big Issue has given me. I recently had this young person say to me, “I don’t have the money to buy the magazine, but I appreciate what you’re doing.” So that was very important to me. There’s too much fighting in the world. It’s more important to think of connection and how we can really connect with each other.
- [Geoff](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/geoff/): I came to sell The Big Issue through a friend who was a vendor. He told me about this magazine called The Big Issue – that was around 2012 or 2013... What’s the attraction for selling the magazine now? Well, it gets me out of the house. I can’t stay at home all day and just watch TV.
- [Ben](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/ben/): What I most like about selling The Big Issue is it forces me to engage in community, and it funds a pretty reasonable lifestyle. My customers would not believe the difference The Big Issue makes in my life and the lives of my fellow vendors. I cannot overstate it enough.
- [Mary](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/mary/): I’ve been selling The Big Issue since 2019. It has to do with friendship and mixing for me. It keeps me happy and keeps me occupied, because I have a hard life.
- [Jane](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/jane/): I like that you get to meet people and earn a little bit of extra money that helps pay the bills.
- [Timmy](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/timmy/): The Big Issue gave me something different – it encouraged me to go outside, gave me a routine.
- [Con](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/con/): While I was selling newspapers, I made a few friends who were selling The Big Issue. As soon as the kiosks closed down in 2006, I started selling the magazines instead.
- [Aaron](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/aaron/): You can’t choose your family, but you choose your friends. I say the three people lifting me up in my life are my missus, my mate and The Big Issue.
- [Kellee](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/kellee/): I came back to The Big Issue in 2022. I like to be out there, engaged with other people. I’m saving money to travel: to Taiwan, the Philippines, and the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. Life should have a meaning, right? Selling The Big Issue, writing poetry, playing music.
- [Gabriel](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/gabriel/): I came back to The Big Issue in 2022. I like to be out there, engaged with other people. I’m saving money to travel: to Taiwan, the Philippines, and the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. Life should have a meaning, right? Selling The Big Issue, writing poetry, playing music.
- [Steven](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/steven/): Me and James have been friends for over 20 years... He’s the one who got me into The Big Issue. We were talking about it for years, me joining, and I’d always say, “no, no”. And this time, we were in the pub one night last April, and he said, “I’m not taking no. I’m taking you into the office and you’re signing up.”
- [Wen](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/wen/): I’ve been selling The Big Issue for seven years, and I’ll retire once I can get the pension. The money helps with my food and bills, general expenses. I try and make a connection with customers, and I have regulars who say hello.
- [Jeffrey](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/jeffrey/): The Big Issue is good, it’s helped me a lot. I like talking to people – you meet many good and friendly people, especially when you smile. When you’re happy, more people come and stop by.
- [Megan](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/megan/): My favourite part about working as a vendor is meeting lots of different people, people who are polite or sad or anything.
- [Adrian](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/adrian/): The Big Issue was my first job. It feels good. With the money I get, I can buy myself a cup of coffee or something to eat. And I’ve got money in my pocket all the time, that sort of thing.
- [Sarah](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/sarah/): The Big Issue community became my family. They not only gave me a way to earn a living, but they also showed me where I could sleep safely and made sure I had something to eat.
- [Rebecca](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/rebecca/): That’s the biggest thing I’ve gotten from being a vendor: getting out and about among people, and staying physically active.
- [Shane](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/shane/): I don’t think I’ll ever stop selling The Big Issue. I like talking to people.
- [Gen](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/gen/): The Women’s Workforce has made such a huge impact for me. The financial freedom! Another dollar in my account, and it will only multiply: things will get better from here.
- [Nathan](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/nathan/): Twenty years later, here I am. This job is my life.
- [Adam](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/adam/): I’ve sold in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and now Sydney. People’s generosity has always been good with The Big Issue.
- [Ron](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/ron/): I'm very happy selling The Big Issue – I'm going to keep doing it until I retire.
- [Gamal](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/gamal/): I was born in Egypt 70 years and three months ago. My mum and my dad, they never said a bad word to each other. I have five big brothers and one sister – I am the youngest. All of them are educated.
- [Gerry](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/gerry/): I really like meeting so many different people from all walks of life, and I just love the human connection.
- [Steve](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/steve/): I like doing it, and I have quite a few regular customers that come and see me every week. I sometimes even get a tea from them.
- [Bruce](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/bruce/): I first heard about The Big Issue on the streets in Perth. I used to sit in this alcove and watch people selling The Big Issue and I thought, I could do that!
- [Assunta](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/assunta/): Being homeless, I find it really, really stressful. It's one of the reasons I sell The Big Issue, because it takes my mind off it, and I focus on the customers.
- [Brendan](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/brendan/): The income helps me heaps: you can buy a coffee, something to eat. I use the money wisely.
- [Alfred](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/alfred/): I like selling The Big Issue, just the fact that you're out there meeting people, and being outdoors.
- [Shorty](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/shorty/): I'm moving forward. I just gotta keep going one day at a time.
- [Jordan](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/jordan/): I look at The Big Issue as a stepping stone to a brighter future.
- [Panos](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/panos/): Getting to see people and speak to people makes you feel better about yourself.
- [Clem](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/clem/): The best thing about The Big Issue is I've met so many nice people. They stop and have a joke, have a yak. Worth getting out of bed at six o'clock for.
- [Simon](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/simon-2/): About three years ago, I decided to do The Big Issue again. It gets you out of your comfort zone – I like the sense of confidence you build up, talking to the public.
- [Simon](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/simon/): It's been hell, but you've got to do what you can, and The Big Issue is one of those things – it's helped me, it really has.
- [Grant](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/grant-2/): Things have been getting a lot better since I’ve been a vendor. Independence is really important to me, to avoid being stuck at home doing nothing.
- [Grant](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/grant/): I had nowhere to go, so I turned to The Big Issue. It gave me a chance to build back my life again.
- [Chris H](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/chris-h/): My father sells The Big Issue and encouraged me to give it a try – the rest is history.
- [Steve C](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/steve-c/): The Big Issue's always been there for me. They'll always welcome you back with open arms.
- [Monique](https://thebigissue.org.au/vendor/monique/): I like everything about selling The Big Issue. What I like about it is that I can work whenever, wherever.