Meet your vendor
I was born in Kew, nine weeks premature. As a result, I’ve got retinopathy of prematurity, which is basically too much oxygen at birth. I ended up with no peripheral sight, optic nerve damage and very thick glasses. Reading is a challenge – I need quite large print to read – and I’ve never had a driver’s licence.
I was teased mercilessly at school. Kids would sit on my glasses and break them. I went to a school for blind children in Kew. Then I finished at Camberwell Girls Grammar, in Year 8. Later, I went back to night school, and that was enough for me to get into ANU, majoring in Politics. I lived in Canberra for eight years: that’s where I started following the Canberra Raiders. I support rugby league and AFL, and I’ve got a large collection of footy jumpers.
I’ve done a lot of sales work over the years. I think that has helped me with The Big Issue. When I turned 67, in August last year, I’d been out of work nearly a year. I was elected Ward Councillor for the City of Whitehorse in 2020, during COVID, and then I lost the next election, in 2024.
I heard about The Big Issue from a friend of mine, David. We both worked at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, and I knew he was selling The Big Issue. I’d bought it from him a few times, and my husband, Colin, had too. My first day selling was up near Exhibition Street. It felt a bit strange to begin with. I didn’t have a vest and I didn’t have the square reader, so that made it difficult because a lot of people don’t have cash. What surprised me most is the generosity of Melburnians. People will say, “Here’s a sausage roll,” or, “Here’s $10, don’t worry about the mag.” I’ve got return customers already. They’re fantastic – like Jeremy, who loves the cryptic crosswords, or Nicole, who helped me when my phone was not charging. There are a number of kind people who go out of their way to help.
I’ve been married to Colin for 42 years – we’ve got three children and two grandchildren. Colin’s health’s not good, so the money from The Big Issue helps with bills and health insurance. Our washing machine broke earlier this year, and it helped us pay for that too.
Even though I’ve only been with The Big Issue a few months, it feels exciting to be part of the 30th anniversary. It adds something really positive to our city vibe, particularly our culture with the arts, movies, TV and social issues.
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. Congratulations to the editorial team for outstanding stories and high-quality journalism – and the vendor support team, for the positive love they spread around.
Amanda sells The Big Issue on Bourke and Exhibition St, and Swanston and Little Collins St in Melbourne.
She started working as a vendor six months ago.
Interview by Tim Hall
Photo by James Braund
Published in ed#763
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