1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:00,480 Speaker 1: Good morning. 2 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,199 Speaker 2: You're on the air with Lauren Clinty as well. 3 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 3: Now, the other day I was out on Chapel Street 4 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 3: with some girlfriends going out for dinner and as we left, 5 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 3: I saw something that got my attention and it was 6 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 3: a vendor for The Big Issue. And I've always loved 7 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 3: buying The Big Issue. And if you don't know exactly 8 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 3: what the Big Issue is, we'll go into it in 9 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 3: a minute. But if most of my girlfriends that I 10 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 3: was with said, what is the Big Issue? 11 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 4: How does it work? 12 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 3: And I was trying to explain to them it's this 13 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 3: amazing magazine. It's been around for a really long time, 14 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 3: but the way it works and operates, I think is 15 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 3: just such an important pillar of our community. So I 16 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 3: really wanted to get the guys in here this morning 17 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 3: to explain to Melbourne just how important The Big Issue 18 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 3: is to our society and to our community. So this 19 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 3: morning we are joined by Big Issue vendor Chris. Morning, Chris, 20 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,319 Speaker 3: and the Big Issue editor Amy Morning. Amy. Hi. 21 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 5: Firstly, thank you for coming in well, thanks for having us. 22 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: And Chris is wearing his best. He's going to try 23 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 2: and flow this a magazine. That's right. 24 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 3: You might have seen these men and women around because 25 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 3: you wear this very bright high these vest, You're hard 26 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 3: to miss in that criz. Exactly how long have you 27 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 3: been selling the Big Issue? 28 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 4: I have been selling the Big Issue since twenty eighteen, 29 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 4: and I've got involved because of my father. 30 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 3: And Amy. How long have you been the editor? 31 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 5: I've been the editor almost nine years. 32 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 3: For people don't understand the concept behind the Big Issue, 33 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 3: can you explain it to us please? 34 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 5: The Big Issue is a nonprofit social enterprise, So vendors 35 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 5: buy the mag for four fifty, they sell it for 36 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 5: nine dollars, so the vendors earn four dollars fifty for 37 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 5: every magazine. Soul. That's the social enterprise part of it. 38 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: So that's the actual person we're buying it off is 39 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 2: getting the money directly. 40 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 5: But every time you buy a Big Issue, it's really 41 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 5: supporting the person who is your boy, right Frum. We 42 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 5: turned twenty nine this year this month. Wow, we started 43 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 5: in Melbourne back in nineteen ninety six. 44 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 3: Feels like a very Melbourne thing. I actually didn't realize 45 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: it was all around the country. 46 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, it is. We picked up the idea from the UK, 47 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 5: so there are something like ninety street papers like ours, 48 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 5: all around the world now, but yeah, it's one of 49 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 5: those things that started in Melbourne. It's now all around 50 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 5: the country and we have had about seven and eight 51 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 5: thousand people get jobs through the Big Issue. 52 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: I just love knowing that when I buy the magazine, 53 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: I'm talking to the person who's actually going to benefit. 54 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 3: From it, and that's what's so great about it. I 55 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 3: remember when I was at school, we'd go into the 56 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 3: city and I'd always seen see the same guy that 57 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 3: I will buy The Big Issue from it. Even when 58 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 3: you can tap now because it used to be a 59 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 3: lot more cash base. You can tap and you get 60 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 3: a little notification on your phone of who your vendors 61 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 3: who sold it as well, because the vendors are pretty special. 62 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 3: Vendors for the Big Issue come from a wide range 63 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 3: of experiences including homelessness, mental illness and long term unemployment, 64 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 3: intellectual and physical disability, drug and alcohol dependency, or family breakdown. 65 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: Chris, how does this help you well. 66 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 4: As a vendor? It helps me financially, but it also 67 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 4: helps me interact with the community and working for the 68 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 4: Big Issue brings me back on to the main page, 69 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 4: whether that be free selling, but also free selling. I've 70 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 4: got opportunities, which inside the Big Issue is I'm now 71 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 4: in their education enterprise called the Big Issue classrooms, and 72 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 4: with that I go in. I tell my lived experience 73 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 4: of having a disability as I'm vision impaired and also 74 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 4: be and also being homeless at a time. I was 75 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 4: homeless when I was seventeen, and I'm able to share 76 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 4: that experience with school groups and I can relate to 77 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 4: them because of the age I became homeless. 78 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 3: So you were vision impaired and homeless at seventeen, yes, wow? 79 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 3: And when did you start selling the Big Issue? 80 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 4: I started selling The Big Issue when I was eighteen 81 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 4: in Canberra. At the time, I was living with my 82 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 4: now wife up there, and I got involved because my father, 83 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 4: who's the current Big Issue vendor down here in Melbourne, 84 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 4: who sells in Burke Street. 85 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 3: Oh, he's got prime. 86 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: Does everyone get their spot? 87 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 3: Well? 88 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 4: So we ring up to get our spots. So we 89 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 4: book a day before and we say we want to 90 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 4: work here if it's available. So I work at Southern 91 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 4: Cross station on the burk Street Bridge and I'm up 92 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 4: there from seven to nine generally, and you know, I 93 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 4: ring up and get that spot every day. And because 94 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 4: I've been working there for a while now every couple 95 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 4: of days I know they know I'm going to be there, 96 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 4: so they pre booked me. 97 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: So what sort of response do you get, Chris, And 98 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: how heartwarming is that response? 99 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,799 Speaker 4: Well, I get really good responses from people, and that's 100 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 4: the positive thing we get at it. It's not just 101 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 4: about selling a magazine. We're being interacted in the community, 102 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 4: and the community sees us out there. For myself, I 103 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 4: have people that come up to me every day and 104 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,039 Speaker 4: talk that may not buy a bag, but they're coming 105 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 4: out there to talk to me and interact and they 106 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 4: see me out there. And I get supporters from people 107 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 4: like my local coffee shop down at Southern Cross because 108 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 4: they see me out there working. I'm not just sitting 109 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 4: at home doing that. 110 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 2: No, exactly. 111 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's amazing. 112 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: Amy When it comes to the magazine, there's a lot 113 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 2: of magazines these days that aren't around because a lot 114 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 2: of them were just your trashy, celebrity gossip bags. What's 115 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: the sort of stuff you get in the big issue. 116 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 5: Well, we tell stories that are sort of arts and culture. 117 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 5: The next one is about Jaws turning fifty. The current 118 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 5: edition has a story about homelessness and housing. The most 119 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 5: important thing is that we also tell the stories of 120 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 5: the people who sell the Big Issue, and so it's 121 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 5: really important for us to make sure that we platform 122 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 5: voices that are not necessarily heard in mainstream media. So 123 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 5: we have a story about a vendor in every edition, 124 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 5: a vendor's write for us as well. We have poems 125 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 5: and stories and artwork from vendors in every edition as well. 126 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 3: Hey, Chris, what's a good day at the office for 127 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 3: the Big Issue for you? How many are you selling? 128 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 4: I average around I average around twenty magazines a day, Okay, 129 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 4: but that's an average. I could one day, I could 130 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 4: sell thirty. One day, I could sell one. Every day 131 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 4: is different, and that's the beauty of But it's not 132 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 4: just that, you know, and we're running our own small business, 133 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 4: mind you. 134 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. 135 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 4: So it's not like we're adherent to you know, Pacific hours. 136 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 4: And that's for me. I like the routine of being 137 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 4: up going to work. I travel two hours go to 138 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 4: work every day. So I travel in from the Gips 139 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 4: and from Liatroe Valley, I travel to Melbourne. Take me 140 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 4: two hours. I work for two hours and then I 141 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 4: go home. If I don't have a classroom to go 142 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 4: to and you know that's I'm committed to that because 143 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 4: that's my work, that's mine nine to five. 144 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 2: You must feel a lot of independence out of it 145 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: as well. 146 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 4: Exactly. I feel not just independence, but pride about what 147 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 4: I do and sharing my story, sharing other vendors stories 148 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 4: as well through selling to maybe Chris. 149 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: Where would you be without the Big Issue? 150 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 4: Well, I don't know. Like I was lost when I 151 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 4: started working for the Big Issue. And I would say, 152 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 4: I've found my place. I've found the thing that's called 153 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 4: to me. 154 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 3: That's so cool to hear, it's amazing. 155 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 2: Where's the sweet spot in Melbourne? Where's the spot everything? 156 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 3: The guy on Chapel Street the other night was doing 157 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: very well, Jeffrey. 158 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 2: What's the primo location? 159 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 4: I will say Burke Street Mall. We have a lot 160 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 4: of vendors that's all around there. Teresa is one, my 161 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 4: father David, he's one out there. There's a lot more. 162 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 4: I can't think if there's a lot of vendors that's 163 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 4: all around there anyway, but. 164 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: This is the beauty of it. You get to know 165 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: your vendor as well. On Glen Parry Road, there's a 166 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: bloke who sits there with his blue heeler, is it, Yeah, 167 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: just outside the Westpac Bank, and you know, go up 168 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: and get to Patty's dog, sagurday to him, see how 169 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: he's going. It's like a check in and then he 170 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: checks in on me as well. It's there's a beautiful 171 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: story and relationship that a company has the sale of this, and. 172 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 3: I can't recommend it enough. If you do see a 173 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 3: Big Issue vendor out, go and say hello. The magazine 174 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 3: is a great read as well. I always get it 175 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 3: whenever I see it, which is why we wanted to 176 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 3: talk about it today. 177 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: Ed your kids about it too. 178 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 3: They're nine dollars and the vendor personally gets fifty percent 179 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 3: of that, so you get four dollars fifty per magazine. 180 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 3: But you'll meet some really great people with some amazing 181 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 3: stories to share as well. I mean, you must be 182 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 3: so proud of all of these vendors who work for 183 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 3: the Big Issue. 184 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, I really I have a long relationship with a 185 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 5: lot of our vendors. We have vendors who have worked 186 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 5: for the Big Issue for almost twenty nine years and 187 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 5: some that come for a couple of months and use 188 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 5: it as a stepping stone to go on to other 189 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 5: things too, But as you said about the community around 190 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 5: the big issue vendors, that's the big key thing. If 191 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 5: you're a vendor that's selling at Preston Markets every weekend, 192 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 5: you really build up that community around you and there's 193 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 5: some really amazing stories that come out of that. 194 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 2: Well, get out and support your local big issue vendors. 195 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: Chris and Amy, thanks so much for coming in. Guys, 196 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: thank you very much. 197 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 3: Jason, Lauren l wake up feeling good following them on 198 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 3: the socials.