Murphy felt the change as soon as he stepped into Chinatown. It was one step from the streets of Brisbane. It was also a giant step back into the village of Jiangdu, in Eastern China. He reflected that smell was the major trigger of memory. He drew deep breath, and took in the smells of … Continue reading
Murphy listened with intent, as the man on stage spoke. The topic was Aboriginal Education, and the speaker knew his stuff first hand. Murphy listened, and took notes. He had much to learn here, and he didn’t want to miss a thing. He reflected what he knew of this man’s life, and the struggles he … Continue reading
Murphy heard the man yelling at the woman, and saw her cowering from him. She covered her face with her hands, and crouched so her knees covered her stomach and lower body. The instincts of a woman used to being hit. Murphy’s instinct was to go to her assistance, but then he noticed the police … Continue reading
Media Release – National Indigenous Times – Aboriginal Vendors AUSTRALIA’S leading street magazine, The Big Issue, is looking for Indigenous people who want to work for themselves. The non-profit magazine is sold on the streets by people like Reuben (pictured) who has been selling The Big Issue in Brisbane for two months. He enjoys meeting … Continue reading
Murphy always admired the work of the emergency services. Seeing them on the news trying to locate a woman missing in floodwaters in Queensland, his stomach tightened as he felt the familiar certainty that nothing good would come of their search. It was partly a survival instinct he had developed after 30-odd years as an … Continue reading
Shane sells the Big Issue outside Borders Books on the corner of Albert and Elizabeth Streets, Brisbane. Raise your hand if you have met a Premier and helped to get the ball rolling on $135 million of extra funding towards homelessness projects. No? Well, Brisbane vendor Shane can lay claim to doing just that. Shane … Continue reading
Murphy listened with interest to the school headmaster. The man told of his plans for introduction of inclusive education strategies into his school. Many considered Murphy something of an expert on the subject. Murphy didn’t like that label. He had been lucky enough to work with many so-called disadvantaged people. It was just that he … Continue reading
Dear Mum Sorry I haven’t written for a while. OK, so it’s been three years. This is just a short note to let you know where I’m up to with things. As you know, my injury has stopped me from getting a lot of jobs. That narrow-mindedness really makes me mad. Well, now I have … Continue reading
Murphy watched as the seller sold his papers on the street corner. Murphy knew the man was homeless, and admired the work he was doing. He was trying to help himself, and making money to live on. This allowed him to feed himself, and maybe buy things he needed. Murphy decided this was good, and … Continue reading