Should I email a PI at an international university, or is this bothersome?

Hello, So I am trying to apply to schools in Australia and NZ. I am from America and my partner is Kiwi-Aussie so I have ties to both countries. However, the system for English PhDs seems to be a bit different. I found two professors I would really like to work with but I’m a bit nervous since I’m dealing with a touchy subject. I’m finishing my masters rn and I thought I would reach out as I’m hoping to apply in a couple of months. Is reaching out bad? Like I have professors that have told me it is annoying. I don’t want to come off as annoying. Mainly I am wanting to ask how they work with PhD candidates, how they might feel working with my subject (intimate partner violence), and how it works in the respective country. Any advice?