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Healing with the Heelers

“I had someone who works in foster care say, ‘This show is probably the only example that some kids have of a functioning family,’” says Melanie Zanetti, better known as the voice of Bluey’s mum Chilli on what is arguably Australia’s most successful TV show.

With the Heeler family set to unleash their biggest episode yet, we had a chinwag with Zanetti, plus Bluey’s executive producer Daley Pearson, about their favourite episodes, the healing power of play, and the little dog’s quest to take over the world from Brisbane, one heart at a time.

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FICTION EDITION Submissions Now Open

Got a short story?

Submissions are now open for The Big Issue’s 19th annual Fiction Edition!

Be part of the biggest-selling fiction magazine in Australia! This special edition will feature work from today’s best-loved writers, as well as a selection of open submissions.

Previous editions have featured stories from Jane Harper, Tony Birch, Matthew Reilly, Melanie Cheng, Christos Tsiolkas, Alice Pung, Graeme Simsion, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Bruce Pascoe, Claire G Coleman and Michael Mohammed Ahmad.

We are looking for stories of all kinds – literary, comedy, romance, sci-fi, crime and everything in between.

Submission details

  • Entry is FREE, and open to writers based in Australia.
  • Every author published is paid $500.
  • Stories should be between 500 and 3000 words.
  • Stories must be previously unpublished.
  • Submissions are limited to one story per person.
  • Please submit as a Word Doc attachment, double-spaced with 12-point text.
  • Your name, email, full postal address and phone number MUST be included in the body of the email, separate from the story, as the submissions are judged anonymously.

To enter, email your story to fiction@bigissue.org.au

Entries close 11:59pm AEST Thursday 1 June 2023