معرفی
Penelope Weller is a Professor of Law and Head of the School of Law at RMIT University. She leads the Health strand in the Centre for Business and Human Rights (BHRIGHT) and is a Fellow of the British Academy. Her expertise spans mental health law, human rights frameworks, and disability rights. Weller holds a PhD in the sociology of law from Victorian University and has advised governments across Australia and internationally on mental health law reforms. She currently chairs the Programs Committee and is co-editor of the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. Non-academic roles include membership of the Mental Health Tribunal since 2013.
Her research focuses on human dignity, justice, and equality in health systems, emphasizing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Key projects include the ARC-funded FACTORS and STILS initiatives, examining community treatment orders and trauma-informed lawyering. She has led evaluations for the Victorian Department of Health’s Mental Health Rights Legal Service and contributed to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, influencing legislative reforms.
- Education: Monash University (Arts/Law), Latrobe University (Health Law), Victorian University (PhD).
- Grants: ARC Discovery (2023), ARC Linkage (2023), Victorian Health Department contracts.
- Awards: Fellow of the British Academy (2023).
- Teaching: Principles of Administrative Law, Health Law, Human Rights Law.
Recent publications address psychiatric advance directives, community treatment order variations, and legal accountability in mental healthcare. Her work bridges legal scholarship, policy advocacy, and interdisciplinary research to advance equitable mental health systems.
