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Centre for Health Law and Policy 

Imagining policy, legal and regulatory futures for healthier Australian communities

On this page

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Who we are

The Centre brings together expertise at the intersection of health and a wide range of legal fields, including therapeutic goods regulation, the beginning and end of life, mental health, health protection in the criminal justice system, reproduction and parenthood, vaccine regulation and policy, broader contemporary challenges for public health protection, and sensitive issues in healthcare provision. United by a shared vision of good health for all as a core value, we focus our research particularly on the community goal of improving collective health, which also encompasses important aspects of individual healthcare.

Co-Directors

Members

What we do

The Centre seeks to build on our members’ established track records to create opportunities and facilitate collaboration in a wide range of activities including:

  • Engaging in cutting edge research projects at the intersection between health law, policy and ethics funded by traditional funders including MRFF, NHMRC, ARC, WA Department of Health, and Healthway, as well as by non-traditional funding schemes and philanthropic donations;
  • Contributing to policy, legal and regulatory reform in all relevant areas (see ‘Research themes’ below);
  • Offering high-level professional trainings to the health profession, health policy personnel, and health law practitioners including in areas such as medical negligence, informed consent, regulatory theory and legal capacity.
  • Offering high-level professional trainings to frontline professionals who are responsible for the wellbeing and care of others.
  • Developing and offering post-graduate teachings in health law, policy and regulation.
  • Offering consulting services to organisations on worthwhile projects that benefit the WA and broader Australian community.
  • Attracting excellent HDR students in our members’ fields of expertise.

Research themes

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Our members actively engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research in a diverse range of health-related fields including:

  • Contemporary challenges in public health
  • End of life care and decision making
  • Health protection in the criminal justice system
  • Healthcare and marginalised peoples
  • Healthcare for an ageing population
  • Legal and ethical issues in the provision of health care
  • Mental health protection
  • Reproductive and parental rights
  • Therapeutic goods regulation
  • Vaccine policy and regulation

For a recent example of our collaborative research output, please click to read the UWA Law Review Special Issue on Health Law and Policy (Volume 53, Issue (2)) [PDF, 4.7 MB]

Current projects

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The Centre was officially launched in November 2025 with a special issue of the UWA Law Review. The launch was generously sponsored by leading health law firm Panetta McGrath. Since then, our members have been working on a range of projects across our multiple research themes. For more details, check the individual profiles of our members.

From 29 November to 2 December 2026, the Centre will host the annual conference of the Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law (AABHL), the first time the conference has been held in Perth since 2014. Program details and registration are available on the AABHL 2026 conference website.

Higher Degrees by Research opportunities

Members of the Centre welcome enquiries from prospective PhD and MPhil candidates whose research falls within the Centre’s areas of expertise and current projects. Please contact the Centre’s co-directors, or the individual members whose expertise is most relevant to your proposed project. Information on applying for a research degree, including available scholarships, is provided by UWA’s Graduate Research School.

Get in touch

Our details

Location: Law
Phone: +61 8 64887011 and/or +61 8 6488 2638
Email: [email protected] and/or [email protected]

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