Update on sterilisation forum

Update on sterilisation forum: December 2002

In late 2001 the Attorney-General's Department organised a Forum on Illegal
Sterilisation of Disabled Minors, which brought together officers from
a range of government agencies. The Forum identified a number of legal,
education and information activities that might be undertaken to ensure
illegal sterilisations do not occur. It was proposed that the Forum meet
again in 2002 to review progress and undertake more work on developing
the initial ideas.

Unfortunately, due to competing priorities, it has not been possible
for the Department to reconvene the Forum this year. However, it is expected
a further meeting will take place in the first half of 2003. In light
of this, the Attorney-General's Department has provided participants in
the Forum with an update on recent activities.

Following the Forum, there have been a number of significant developments
in relation to sterilisation of disabled minors. These include:

• earlier this year, the Department worked with the Department of Health
  and Aged Care on changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule note and
  cross-reference. These changes strengthen the message that strict legal
  requirements apply to the sterilisation of minors and that Medicare
  benefits are not payable where those requirements have not been met;
• the Department has raised the issue of education and dissemination
  of information about sterilisation procedures with the National Committee
  on Human Rights Education. The Committee has agreed to seek the support
  of the State and Territory Human Rights Education Committees in pursuing
  education initiatives in relation to this issue; and
• the Department is developing an Issues Paper regarding jurisdictional
  arrangements for the authorisation of sterilisation procedures, for
  consideration by the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General Human Rights
  Working Party in 2003.