Our people

Susan Pennings
BSc (Psychology), BA (Hons), PhD (Australian National University)

Susan Pennings is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Plunkett Centre for Ethics. She has had a variety of experience working in bioethics and health policy across state and federal government departments, in non-government organisations, and in academia.

She completed a PhD in Philosophy from the Australian National University, which focused on how to allocate limited health care resources fairly. Susan has worked in the Research and Ethics Governance Office at Liverpool Hospital in south western Sydney, and most recently worked as a Senior Researcher in the Parliamentary Library in Canberra, focusing on health and disability policy.

Susan is interested in a broad range of issues related to bioethics, including public policy, political philosophy, and medical ethics.

Selected publications

Malbon E and Pennings S, National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024, Bills Digest, Australian Parliamentary Library

Pennings, S. National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2024-25 Budget Review, Australian Parliamentary Library

Pennings S, Disability Services and Inclusion Bill 2023 [and] Disability Services and Inclusion (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023, Bills Digest, Australian Parliamentary Library

Pennings S. The National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2023-24 Budget Review, Australian Parliamentary Library

Chow JSF, D'Souza A, Lane B, Descallar J, Ford M, Marshall S, Pennings S. Health Workers' Perceptions and Responses in Implementing COVID-19 Immunisation Strategy in South Western Sydney (PRECISE): An Observational Study. BMJ Open 2022;12:e055034

Pennings S, Symons X. First among equals? Adaptive preferences and the limits of autonomy in medical ethics. Journal of Medical Ethics 2024;50:212-218.

Pennings S., Symons X., Persuasion, not coercion or incentivisation, is the best means of promoting COVID-19 vaccination. Journal of Medical Ethics 2021;47:709-711.

Paige E, O'Donoughue Jenkins L, Agostino J, Pennings S, Wade V, Lovett R, Daluwatta A, McLoughlin K, Banks E. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander absolute cardiovascular risk assessment and management: systematic review of evidence to inform national guidelines.Public Health Research & Practice 2019