Senator STOTT DESPOJA —(3.33 p.m.)—I seek leave to make a personal explanation as I believe I was misrepresented in question time today by Senator Abetz and Senator Vanstone.

Leave granted.

Senator STOTT DESPOJA —In question time today, Senator Eric Abetz asked a question—a dorothy dixer—of the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Senator Vanstone, in relation to enrolment figures in Australian universities. He claimed in his question—and I have yet to see the Hansard pinks—that in a written statement in a press release in February this year, and I believe he is referring to a statement on 7 February, I claimed enrolments had declined in Australia.

In fact, Madam Deputy President, the distinction that I have made in all my statements, and which I again put on record today, is that enrolment applications have declined and they certainly had declined at the time of that press release—7 February 1997. Incidentally, those figures were provided by the minister's own department arising out of estimates committee hearings. There is a very clear distinction between enrolments—that is, the final number of enrolments in universities around Australia—and the level of enrolment applications. I do not know if Senator Vanstone or Senator Abetz deliberately confused that point or whether they do not understand that point. But I put on record very clearly that the way that you measure popularity of a course or the impact of fees and charges and other disincentives is to check the number of enrolment applications.

Senator Patterson —Madam Deputy President, on a point of order: the senator is now debating the issue and should be called to order.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Senator Stott Despoja, would you like to continue to explain where you have been misrepresented or resume your seat, please.

Senator STOTT DESPOJA —Thank you, Madam Deputy President. I think it is important to put on record that very important distinction because that is the way in which I was misrepresented today in the chamber. I am happy to seek leave to table the press release to which I believe Senator Abetz referred—although he did not give a specific date, he just mentioned the month of February—and draw the attention of the Senate to a notice of motion that I gave on 12 February which lists the specific enrolment declines in applications.

Leave granted.

Senator STOTT DESPOJA —One last thing, Madam Deputy President: I did take offence at the minister's personal comments about my appearance. I think it is quite ironic that they were made.

Senator Patterson —Madam Deputy President, on a point of order: the senator is now debating another issue altogether. If she has another issue, she should find another opportunity to deal with that. It is not the issue on which she claims to have been misrepresented. I ask you to call her to order.

Senator Carr —She said it was a separate matter.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Order! Have you completed your personal explanation?

Senator STOTT DESPOJA —No, Madam Deputy President. I was asked to give an apology to the minister for making what were referred to as untrue statements today. This is at the heart of the misrepresentation.

Senator Ferguson —On a point of order: Senator Stott Despoja claimed to have been misrepresented and then she went on to another issue and said she took offence. If she took offence, she should have taken some redress at that time, not now, when she claims to have been misrepresented.

Senator Woodley —I wish to speak to the point of order. The problem is that the coalition is very touchy about this. Senator Stott Despoja is claiming to have been misrepresented in a number of statements made by Senator Vanstone. I suggest, Madam Deputy President, you allow her to continue to explain the areas in which she was misrepresented.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Senator Stott Despoja is claiming to have been misrepresented, as I understand it, in two areas. You are now explaining the second one, I understand, Senator Stott Despoja?

Senator STOTT DESPOJA —Madam Deputy President, if the coalition has difficulties with my second point, I will stick to the first one. The point is that I was asked to provide an apology to the minister today for making claims that the claims she and Senator Abetz made were untrue. I am asking the minister to apologise to me for misrepresenting me in this place by claiming that I had stated that enrolment applications had declined when that is completely untrue. The minister may be used to making mistakes, but I am not in this area, and I request an apology accordingly.