In her early 40s, when it became apparent my sister was struggling to have children, we had a discussion about how I could help. That discussion went on for months. Awkward. Filled with love and pain and jealousy. We decided not to proceed with either egg donation or surrogacy. I cannot tell you how quickly the frost descended but suddenly it was winter between us.

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But not once in all that time did I ever doubt that surrogacy, especially between sisters, was perfectly fine. Not once. But conversations this week with three women have changed my once firm convictions.

In this country, commercial surrogacy is banned. In other words, you can do it as an act of altruism - but not for profit. Clearly there are some who believe that should change. The Australian Law Reform Commission was asked to inquire into surrogacy laws in Australia under the chairmanship of Justice Mordy Bromberg. It will submit its report to the Attorney-General in July this year.

But if I was a gambling woman - and I'm not - I'd put my money on a report which says surrogacy laws should be loosened across the country. And I'd put my money on a report which suggests that we unnecessarily "prohibit the extent to which surrogates can be reimbursed".

Last week, I'd have said, yeah yeah. I'd have said that it is every woman's right to have a baby if she wants one. Now I know I was wrong. Sure, you can try to create a family - but there is no right to a baby.

Patricia Harper, one of the early founders of the National Council for Single Mothers And Their Children and still deeply connected to them, was on to the ALRC inquiry quickly. Her work has been nationally recognised. In 1986 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

She discovered that there was apparently no room at the inquiry for any woman who'd been impacted by adoption. Harper, who battled for years to hold on to her daughter, is keenly motivated to put the welfare and interest of the child as paramount in public policy and legislation. She also wants to protect the welfare and interests of women who become pregnant but are then forced at........

© Canberra Times