Julian Fell

abc.net.auIntroducing... The Favourite - ABC listenShe's every student’s favourite teacher — warm, funny, the kind who bends the rules. But for one 12-year-old, Alliyah, her attention goes far beyond the classroom. The Favourite is a five-part series ...

10 Sept 2025

As a 12 year old, Alliyah was looking for support. Instead, they found a teacher prepared to break every rule in the book. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

abc.net.auHoward-era minister voted to outlaw offshore casinos, then co-founded oneFormer federal minister De-Anne Kelly has been revealed as a co-founder of offshore casino LuckyBet.

Last week, @lilithwittmann.bsky.social released internal records from the Curacao gambling regulator, revealing the owners of over 1000 online casinos. One of them had been co-founded by a former federal minister – who had voted to outlaw offshore casinos two decades earlier.

LuckyBet was formally warned by ACMA after she had been removed as an owner of the company.

abc.net.auScam payments lead to an Australian business and its Israeli ownerAn Australian e-learning website was used as a front for scammers selling fraudulent investments, an ABC investigation reveals.

20 Aug

After speaking to a man who was scammed out of $500,000, I went down a bit of rabbit hole. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...

abc.net.auThe rise of scam centres 2.0 in Myanmar's war zoneThe scam industry in Myanmar is morphing and heading into the jungle rather than disappearing since a crackdown began.

21 July

Just months after high-profile crackdowns from Myanmar's military, several indicators show the scam industry is expanding exponentially. My latest with Libby Hogan and Jarrod Fankhauser. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

abc.net.auBillions in cash can't be accounted for. Where is it all going?There is no shortage of theories, from stacks of cash hidden at home to illicit activities, but little in the way of definitive answers.

5 July

Not even the reserve bank knows what billions of dollars in banknotes are being used for. “It’s a mystery,” says Louis de Koker, a leading expert in money laundering at La Trobe University. “Researchers have theories, but they are still scratching their heads.” www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07...

abc.net.auSydney court finds Israeli money launderer guilty over investment scamIsraeli citizen Shabtay Yaacoby is found guilty of laundering more than $10 million stolen by investment scammers.

8 May

A landmark trial ended in Sydney this week with a guilty verdict for Shabtay Yaacoby. He worked with investment scammers to move more than $10m out of Australia. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05...

abc.net.auPetrol stations tried to 'shape' the market – now it's shaping themPetrol stations in our biggest cities hiked prices ahead of global oil prices, but experts say their profit margins are now much slimmer.

30 Mar

In the early days of the Middle East war, petrol stations hiked prices faster than the rise of global oil prices, in what several leading experts say was an attempt to maintain their profit margins. But since then, there has been a complete turnaround. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...

abc.net.au'Something really shifted': Inside the software company that laid off 40pc of its staffAs big tech companies sack staff and say AI will pick up the slack, workers are left to grapple with what's really going on.

24 Mar

Engineers at Block have adopted the latest AI tools, experimented with them, added them to their daily workflows. They’ve now seen their workplace cut virtually in half. I spoke to several Block staff – past and present – to find out what insiders think of the cuts www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...

abc.net.auHow illegitimate regulators operate in the name of a tiny African islandAn ABC investigation has identified several individuals involved in a network of illegitimate corporate regulators and service firms.

30 Dec 2025

The licences aren't worth the (virtual) paper they're written on, and they're likely to be raking in tens of millions of dollars a year in fees. My latest for ABC News. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

abc.net.auLeaked texts from inside Australian billionaire's VIP gamblers clubLeaked messages between an Australian multi-billionaire and his former associate reveal the inner workings of the online casino Stake.

5 Dec 2025

New from me: a look inside how one of Australia’s richest people built his gambling empire www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

abc.net.auOne player's case against the world's biggest crypto casinoChat logs and gambling data show the tactics used by Australian-run online casino Stake to keep one user hooked.

3 Dec 2025

A Caribbean court case, two whistleblowers, 18 months of gambling data and a Telegram transcript. It all comes together to show how Stake, an Australian-run online casino, responds to players showing signs of problem gambling. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

abc.net.auAlliyah 'married' their teacher at 13. No one else knewAlliyah is reckoning with a decade of grooming and abuse at the hands of a trusted teacher.

I'm getting emotional seeing this finally out there. After 18 months of conversations, court dates and bureaucratic brick walls, Alliyah's story finally is seeing the light of day. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

This wouldn't have been possible without the support of my amazing team at ABC News Story Lab. Teresa Tan, Georgina Piper, @mattliddy.bsky.social and Cristen Tilley each played crucial roles in bringing this to life.

abc.net.au01 The Favourite | Secrets after school - ABC listen12-year-old Alliyah’s clowning around in science class, testing the waters to see how the new teacher will respond. An unusual bond grows between them — and what starts with a death stare and a smirk,...

And of course the team at Background Briefing who jumped into a difficult project with such enthusiasm and dedication. Thanks to Loretta Florence, Fanou Filali, Max Chalmers, Ben Sveen, Ingrid Wagner, Leila Shunner, Thomas Oriti and Justine Landis-Hanley – you're all superstars.

abc.net.auAlliyah 'married' their teacher at 13. No one else knewAlliyah is reckoning with a decade of grooming and abuse at the hands of a trusted teacher.

Above all, I'm honoured that Alliyah trusted me to tell their story. They gave legal consent to be identified as the victim of a sexual crime – which opened all kinds of doors for asking questions about who failed them. It's an incredibly brave and powerful choice.

The core of this was 18 recorded interviews with Alliyah, their friends and family members. Things got real. I particularly want to thank Alliyah's parents, Jackie and Scott, for revisiting a difficult period with me.

13 Sept 2025

12-year-old Alliyah’s clowning around in science class, testing the waters to see how the new teacher will respond. It starts with a death stare and a smirk, but soon slips into a world of secrets. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

10 Sept 2025

As a 12 year old, Alliyah was looking for support. Instead, they found a teacher prepared to break every rule in the book. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

10 Sept 2025

The Favourite is the product of 18 months of conversations with Alliyah, their family and closest friends – not to mention an anonymous police detective, several teachers and all the documentary evidence we could dig up. The first episode drops on Saturday.

abc.net.auABC reporter 'email bombed' while hunting an Australian crypto scammerHow a malicious email barrage led to a hacker community, claims of extortion, and an insight into the dark side of online gambling.

22 July 2025

A little while back, my inbox came under attack. I'd been trying to track down an Australia scammer at the time. But the person behind it wasn't who I'd suspected. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

abc.net.auA multi-million-dollar online lottery is bending Australia's lawsOnline casino Shuffle's executives are gambling on its own live broadcasts, despite it being banned in Australia.

29 June 2025

Scoop: Shuffle's executives are gambling on its own live broadcasts, despite the online casino being banned in Australia. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...

abc.net.auTrends show how younger, richer and rental areas votedWhat data about voters' age, income level and home ownership status can tell us about the election result.

6 May 2025

It is often said that after young people buy a house, they tend to gravitate towards conservative politics. But that step — a crucial marker of adulthood — has fallen increasingly out of reach for younger generations. An old voting trend is breaking down. www.abc.net.au/news/105253600

6 May 2025

“The old logic — that people naturally drift right as they age — is breaking down,” says Intifar Chowdhury, a lecturer in government at Flinders University. “This is widening the gap between people who have a slice of Australia versus people who don’t.”

abc.net.auWhere the election will be won and lost — or left hangingThe electoral maths on Saturday seems simple — win 76 seats and you win government. But that's not all there is to it.

1 May 2025

We're bringing hexy back. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05...

Julian Fell reposted

Patrik Wikstrom

@pwik.bsky.social

16 Apr 2025

We’re featured by ABC! www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04... Explore your TikTok data and contribute to a study examining how TikTok influences political discourse: foryouparticipate.net/tiktok/ #ForYouProject #CitizenScience #TikTokResearch #QUT #auspol

abc.net.auPeering inside his TikTok viewing history, one user finds it is 'not just raw, pointless data'A new tool created by researchers at the Queensland University of Technology is allowing people to see themselves through the eyes of the algorithm.

16 Apr 2025

As a self-professed data science nerd, Jordan Hennell is proud of how well he’s taught his TikTok algorithm. Find out what the algorithm knows about him – and you. My latest for ABC News Story Lab.

31 Mar 2025

Massive night for the ABC at the IT Journalism Awards. It was so nice to see colleagues recognised for the amazing work they do – and none are more deserving than Kevin Nguyen and Gianfranco Di Giovanni.

31 Mar 2025

It was an honour to pick up the Gold Lizzie for Best Journalist, which is a testament to the support I've received – from colleagues in Story Lab and at the ABC more widely – to be ambitious in my journalism and chase original stories.

abc.net.auTrack wind speeds live as Cyclone Alfred approaches coastCyclone Alfred is due to cross the coast on Friday morning. Track wind speeds at key locations in the cyclone zone.

5 Mar 2025

🫡 🫡 🫡

Axel Bruns@snurb.info

The ABC News dataviz team has reported for duty. #CycloneAlfred www.abc.net.au/news/...

abc.net.auTrack wind speeds live as Cyclone Alfred approaches coastCyclone Alfred is due to cross the coast on Friday morning. Track wind speeds at key locations in the cyclone zone.

5 Mar 2025

My team at ABC News Story Lab has been busy scrambling to set up a tracker map and live wind charts as Cyclone Alfred approaches. I promise the backend isn't running on my laptop. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03... www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03...

abc.net.auIs your PIN code among the first ones hackers are likely to try?The ABC analysed 29 million stolen codes to help you avoid using an insecure one.

27 Jan 2025

The last line of security for much of your digital life probably isn’t as secure as you think. My latest for ABC News Story Lab

harpers.orgThe Ghosts in the Machine, by Liz PellySpotify’s plot against musicians

27 Jan 2025

"PFC was irrefutable proof that Spotify rigged its system against musicians who knew their worth." Important reporting from @lizpelly.bsky.social harpers.org/archive/2025...

abc.net.auA planet-wide solar boom is beating expectations at every turnSatellite imagery reveals the staggering rise of solar farms around the world in recent years. Can Australia get on board?

17 Dec 2024

Of the billions of panels in operation around the world, the vast majority of them have their intellectual origins in a lab in the Sydney suburbs. Here's how it seeded the coming revolution. Our latest interactive, in collaboration with ABC Climate. www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...

17 Dec 2024

The dataset – from TransitionZero – goes back to 2017, letting us see how quickly its grown since then (in some countries, anyway).

6 Dec 2024

The thing that no one is talking about is how the United HealthCare CEO shooter lifted his assassination idea and did even did it at the LITERAL EXACT LOCATION from the first page of my novel.

1 Dec 2024

Thrilled to pick up two Clarions last night, representing Story Lab and RN Future Tense!

abc.net.auInside TikTok's money-making machine — and the Aussies 'sucked into the wormhole'TikTok is turning social media into a popularity contest worth millions, but for some, it has a dark side.

1 Dec 2024

This was the story that took home the Innovation award: www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02... None of it would've been possible without the hard work and insights of Patrik Wikstrom of @qutdmrc.bsky.social

abc.net.auTikTok's superstar economy – how live-streaming is turning social media into a game played for money - ABC listenFans are spending thousands of dollars a month to support their favourite streamers on TikTok Live, but most of the money is going to TikTok itself.

1 Dec 2024

We also collaborated with RN's Future Tense to make a podcast of the same story: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...