Pam brooks was the first adoptive mother to appear in Burnie yesterday before the inquiry into adoption practices from 1950 - 1988 - and she questioned the right of birth mothers to initiate contact because of their potential to disrupt happy families.

"Personally, (I think) she gives up (her) rights when she gives up that child," Mrs Brooks said.

"I grieve for them, I feel for them, but it's a mistake they've made."

"The child has every right to do what they want because they are the innocent party."

The daughter she adopted from Hobart in 1966 had no wish to contact her birth mother - and was fearful of her birth mother finding her.

"I'm here because of my daughter. She's happy and secure and she loves her family life," she said.

The Burnie woman's submission criticised the veto provisions in the Adoption Amendment Act of 1998. Centacare statistics show 85% of the inquiries received by the Catholic agency - which adopted out 268 children between 1960 and 1988 - were from children, and just 10% from birth mothers.

The Inquiry Continues: