A law is being proposed in New South Wales, Australia, in which mothers who are drug or alcohol addicts could lose custody of their babies.

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The bill would require pregnant women who abuse drug or alcohol use to agree to Parental Responsibility Contracts that would enable them to access rehab services before they give birth.

Refusal to seek treatment could make it easier for courts to remove the infant from the troubled mum. The bill includes women who suffer from domestic violence.

By signing the contract, the battered or addicted women are mandated to leave their partner, move to a kin's home or attend domestic violence counseling sessions. Failure to do so would result in the infant being removed from them and placed in NSW custody.

The bill was crafted because of the rising number of NSW women who just gave birth. According to NSW Premier Barry O-Farrell, in 2012, 1,300 babies were born in the Australian state to women addicted to heroin.

Linda Burney, NSW Opposition deputy leader and Families spokeswoman, objected to the bill because it does not offer sufficient support to women who would have their babies taken away and that it would victimise these women further when they are already vulnerable in the first place.

She described the bill as a penalty system that generally won't work, but pushed for NSW involvement in protection of the child without being punitive.

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