Inquiry Into Practice of Sterilising Disabled Women

A Senate committee is looking into the controversial practice of sterilising disabled people, something many Australians are shocked to find is legal.

The UN is pushing for the practice to be banned and the Federal Government says it is looking at possible changes to laws.

The situation faced by the parents of disabled women is not black and white.

In one submission to the Senate inquiry, a mother explained the decision to stop her intellectually disabled daughter becoming pregnant.

"Her own life is not stable enough to support another life," the submission said.

"The reality is if this person had a child, that child would be dead within a week. Human services would have to be involved."

The woman's daughter is 27 and had a contraceptive device implanted four years ago to manage her periods.

The mother says she would not make the decision for anyone else, but with much thought and agonising she says her daughter should never have a child.

The anonymous submission says it is the right decision, given the disabled woman now has a boyfriend.

"Why...