The Big Issue

Daniel sells The Big Issue on The Parade, Norwood, SA

“I like politics and I’ve decided who I’ll probably vote for. I’d like to see Rudd or Howard make a decent climate-change decision, but I don’t think they will because I don’t think either of them has got any guts. With so much money coming from the GST, I reckon the Government could fund free public transport for everyone.

I do a bit of painting, and won the mental health art competition back in ’95, for a painting of Paul Keating. I liked his dress sense – I like wearing Italian suits and expensive shoes, too. Well, I’ve got the shoes but not an Italian suit just yet!
I don’t want to be filthy rich, just get to a money situation where I don’t have to worry. I get $50 a week to spend plus what I earn for selling The Big Issue. My pension is administered by the Public Trustee [which pays living costs], because I was a naughty boy when I was younger. I was playing eight-ball, gambling my pension cheque. I was winning at the time, but my mum and friends didn’t like the idea; said I might get into trouble. I see my family about once a fortnight – my mum and my sister and my brother.

Since February last year, I’ve sold at The Parade in Norwood each Wednesday, and during the rest of the week I go to mental-health rehab out at Stepney. Most of the time selling is good. I always get worried when I haven’t sold my first one, and sort of wonder what’s taking so long, or [think] perhaps the people don’t like me today. But that’s because I suffer from mental illness and sometimes it can affect me.

I think it started when I was a teenager – I got very depressed when I realised I wasn’t going to be a football star. I was the school captain at primary school, and thought my dreams were based on reality. But they probably weren’t because I was spending quite a lot of time in hospital with asthma. I barrack for Norwood and the Melbourne Demons, who wear the same colours – red and blue. I won’t even be able to go to the footy next year, unless I get huge tips selling The Big Issue!
It’s hard when you’ve been this poor since school. I started school young and matriculated young, but found it very hard to get jobs because of my disability. The Big Issue is the longest job I’ve had. I used to be a busker in Rundle Mall, doing people’s portraits, and I’ve been a cricket umpire, a babysitter, that’s about it.

I have written a novel, and in the future would like to write for the magazine – small articles, or poetry for Streetsheet. I’ve enrolled in Uni SA for next year and am thinking of doing history or politics, which I’d like to teach eventually. I can’t live in this $50 bonanza all my life – it won’t lead to a good quality of life when I get older.”

Photograph by Andy Rasheed