It was a cold June day in 1996. Under the clock hands of Flinders Street Station, social enterprise, The Big Issue launched its first edition in Australia.
It was started by a group of Melbourne citizens who banded together, to address the city’s rapid rise in homelessness and disadvantage. For the past 30 years, its vendors have become a familiar feature on city streets across the country, with many turning their lives around by selling the magazine.
Image: © Paul-Bramble used with permission from The Big Issue
Produced By: Emma Wotzke, and Taylah Viskic
Featured In Story: Big Issue Vendor – Chris Horsfall, Editor of The Big Issue – Jen Vuk, and
First aired on The Wire, Friday 12 June 2026