Dr Michaela Okninski
Lecturer
School of Law
College of Business and Law
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I am an early career researcher at Adelaide Law School, being appointed full-time lecturer in 2021.
I have a long connection with the Adelaide Law School community, commencing as a PhD Candidate in 2015, and sessional teacher in 2017. I was awarded my PhD in 2022, where I examined the statutory framework of consent in proposed voluntary assisted dying legislation in South Australia, focusing on protection against undue influence in the consent process. I was appointed to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Taskforce, convened by SA Health, in December 2021, and the Education and Training Working Group in February 2022, who are responsible for overseeing the development of mandatory voluntary assisted dying training for medical practitioners.
I am continuing my research on voluntary assisted dying with specific focus on minors and decision-making capacity for voluntary assisted dying. My other research interests include mental incapacity in the context of wills and estates law, viewing this issue from a dual perspective by examining the potential implications this has for legal and medical professionals alike.
School Administrative Roles
- First Year Coordinator - Adelaide Law School
- Academic Integrity Officer - Adelaide Law School
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fellowship | Barbara Kidman Fellowship | University of Adelaide | Australia | $29, 731 |
| 2022 | Award | Dean's Award (Research) Early Career Academic | University of Adelaide | Australia | $1000 |
| 2022 | Award | Dean's Award | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Executive Deans Award - Faculty of Professions | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Okninski, M. E. (2025). A Hospital and Health Service v C [2025] QSC 178-Termination of Pregnancy for a Minor: Consideration of "Best Interests" Post Enactment of the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld).. Journal of bioethical inquiry, 22(3), 477-481. |
| 2025 | Rooney, T., Okninski, M., Morphett, K., Richards, B., & Gartner, C. (2025). Protecting children from tobacco products in retail environments: A review of Australian tobacco control laws. Drug and Alcohol Review, 44(4), 1062-1078. Scopus3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2024 | Matteo, J., & Okninski, M. (2024). The Commonwealth Criminal Code: Will It Restrict Access to Voluntary Assisted Dying in South Australia And Is There a Way Forward?. Journal of law and medicine, 31(2), 343-352. |
| 2023 | Okninski, M. E. (2023). Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia-Key Similarities and Points of Difference Concerning Eligibility Criteria in the Individual State Legislation.. J Bioeth Inq, 20(1), 13-16. Scopus5 Europe PMC5 |
| 2021 | Okninski, M. E., & Grieger, J. (2021). Evolving Law: Further Developments Concerning MAID in Canada—Bill C-7 Receives Royal Assent and Revisiting Ethicon Sàrl. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 18(3), 371-376. Scopus3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2021 | Okninski, M. E. (2021). Why Death Need Not Be "Reasonably Foreseeable"-The Proposed Legislative Response to Truchon and Gladu v Attorney General (Canada) and Attorney General (Quebec) [2019] QCCS 3792.. Journal of bioethical inquiry, 18(1), 5-8. Scopus4 Europe PMC5 |
| 2019 | Okninski, M. E. (2019). The Catastrophic Consequences of Negligent Misinformation—Darnley v Croydon Health Services NHS Trust [2018] UKSC 50. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 16(1), 13-16. Scopus4 Europe PMC3 |
| 2018 | Okninski, M. E. (2018). A Comparative Analysis of Voluntariness Safeguards and Review Procedure under Oregon and the Netherlands' Physician Assisted Dying Laws. Dalhousie Law Journal, 41(1), 121-151. |
| 2017 | Richards, B. J., & Okninski, M. (2017). Considering Professional Misconduct and Best Interests of a Child (Palliative Orders). Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 14(1), 19-22. Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2 |
| 2017 | Richards, B., & Okninski, M. (2017). The best interests of a child: A tragedy in three parts. Medical Law Review, 25(1), 138-149. Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC1 |
| 2017 | Okninski, M. E. (2017). Commentary on Undue Influence Provisions under Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act and California’s End of Life Option Act. Journal of Law and Medicine, 25(1), 77-85. Scopus2 Europe PMC1 |
| 2016 | Pope, T., & Okninski, M. (2016). Legal standards for brain death and undue influence in euthanasia laws. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 13(2), 173-178. Scopus3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2016 | Okninski, M. (2016). Determining a Child's Best Interests when Parents Refuse Medical Treatment-CAHS v Kiszko & Anor [2016] FCWA 19. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 1-4. |
| 2016 | Richards, B., & Okninski, M. E. (2016). Regulating "quack" medicine and decision-making for children re-visited. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 13(4), 467-471. Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC2 |
| 2016 | Okninski, M. (2016). Determining a Child’s Best Interests when Parents Refuse Medical Treatment—CAHS v Kiszko & Anor [2016] FCWA 19. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 13(3), 365-368. Scopus4 Europe PMC4 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Okninski, M. E. (2024). Protection of Conscience in Australia—The Scope of Conscientious Objection Clauses for Doctors Who Object to Participating in Voluntary Assisted Dying on Religious Grounds. In P. Babie, & R. Sarre (Eds.), Religion Matters: Further Explorations of Connectedness: Volume 2 (Vol. 2, pp. 167-191). Springer Nature Singapore. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Pandos, O., Williams, J., Plater, D., Brunacci, A., Okninski, M., Marinas, E., . . . Arlotta, S. (2023). Review of the Mental Health Act 2009 (SA): Final Report (18). Adelaide: South Australian Law Reform Institute. DOI |
| 2022 | Pandos, O., Williams, J., Grypma, K., Okninski, M., & Plater, D. (2022). Review of the Mental Health Act 2009 (SA): Interim Report. |
| 2022 | Plater, D., Brunacci, A., Nicholls, H., Holt, J., Okninski, M., Pandos, O., . . . Williams, J. (2022). 'Autonomy and Safeguarding are not Mutually Inconsistent': A Review of the Operation of the Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act 1995 (SA) (17). South Australian Law Reform Institute. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Okninski, M. (2022). Meaningful Protection or Unacceptable Risk? A Critical Analysis of Undue Influence as a Safeguard in Proposed Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation in South Australia. (PhD Thesis, University of Adelaide). |
2024 - Recipient of Barbara Kidman Fellowship
2023 - Internal Faculty Grant - University of Adelaide
2022- Internal Faculty Grant - University of Adelaide
End-of-Life Law: Selected Issues
Medical Law and Ethics
Tort Law
Foundations of Law
Equity
| Date | Role | Board name | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | Board Member | Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board | ACT Government | Australia |
| 2022 - ongoing | Secretary | Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law | Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law | Australia |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - 2022 | Board Member | Voluntary Assisted Dying Education and Training Working Group | Department of Health and Wellbeing (SA Health) | Australia |
| 2021 - 2023 | Board Member | Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Taskforce | Department of Health and Wellbeing (SA Health) | Australia |
Connect With Me
External Profiles
