Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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I thank the witness for the presentation. When I read it I could tell how person-centred it was and I appreciated how human it was as well. I am sure that translates into how the witness treats women when they come to him. I got some solace from that in reading the presentation. Senator Gavan posed the questions I wanted to ask so I will some comments instead.

Senator Mullen upset me when he used the words, "what type of person is before one". I am not really sure what that meant. The Senator said in reference to someone arriving and having mental health issues, and whether the person would have had mental health issues before arriving. The phrase used was "what type of person is before one". I do not know the Senator's intent. I took it to mean that if a person has a mental health issue before coming pregnant, somehow this would undermine the woman's capacity, as a person, to have autonomy and view of life and who she is. I did not appreciate it. As a woman and mother who sought help during my second pregnancy from the witness's counterpart in the Rotunda, I found the comment very distressing. I will stand corrected if the intent was not there but I suggest that the Senator read the debate. He referred to "what type of person is before one". She would be the same person and the continuity remains the same.

If caring about women entering an office and women's health in general is ideological, I thank the witness for his ideology.