The Big Issue Celebrates Milestone

Editor Alan Attwood officially launches The Big Issue's 400th edition in Sydney. Photo: supplied

Fifteen years after its inception, social enterprise and street magazine The Big Issue has celebrated its 400th edition.

Editor Alan Attwood officially launched the 400th issue in Sydney this morning at a morning tea for its vendors.

"This is a special moment for our vendors and they should be very proud of what they have achieved selling the The Big Issue magazine," Attwood said at the launch.

Established in 1996 to support homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people, the social enterprise has sold more than six million magazines.

Vendors – homeless or marginalised people in the community – buy copies of the fortnightly magazine for $2.50 and sell them on the streets for $5, keeping the difference. The Big Issue says that this has generated more than $13 million in income for its vendors.

According to The Big Issue the magazine’s circulation has increased from 7,000 to more than 30,000 over 15 years.

The 400th edition will include messages from some former cover subjects, plus the usual mix of features and columns that have made the magazine unique in the Australian media landscape.

The Big Issue chief executive Steven Persson said that the 400th edition was a major milestone for the national Not for Profit magazine, which has been sold on streets around the country by more than 3500 people since inception.

“The magazine provides some of Australia’s most disadvantaged people with the opportunity to earn an income – it empowers them by giving them a hand up, not a hand out,” Persson said.