Senator SHERRY (Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate)(3.38 p.m.) —It is unfortunate that the senators who are sitting opposite were not in the chamber at lunchtime.

Senator Alston —We watched it.

Senator SHERRY —I am glad you did. I did provide an explanation of this matter. The central issue related to Mr Miles, who put out a press release yesterday in respect to a capital city claim vis-a-vis a country claim. As I made very clear at lunchtime, when I became a parliamentary secretary I did ask my staff to check the DAS guideline in respect to Opossum Bay. I asked them to collect that and I asked them to check it thoroughly. We checked the DAS guidelines and the guidelines state that `capital city' is as defined in relation to its boundaries by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Senator Alston —Why didn't you declare Opossum Bay?

Senator SHERRY —Because it is part of the Hobart division for TA claims. Senator Alston, when you go to Sydney or Melbourne do you put down Parramatta or Carlton on your claim? You put down the name of the principal city and that is what I did. We checked with the Australian Bureau of Statistics definition, which states that the greater Hobart division comprises the local government area of Hobart, Glenorchy, Clarence—and Opossum Bay is in Clarence—and Brighton, and the predominantly urban parts of Kingborough, New Norfolk and Sorell. If the Department of Administrative Services had said to me, `Senator Sherry, Opossum Bay is not classified as part of Hobart,' then I would have claimed what was the correct country particular allowance. That is what I would have done. As I said, we queried this with the Department of Administrative Services.

Senator Abetz has made some references to my home in Burnie. I issued the challenge earlier; I am very happy for those in the government, and for Mr Costello, to fly down to Burnie on Friday with me. Come down to the Burnie show; come and stay at my house. What is the definition of a house? I own it, I pay rates and all of my personal worldly goods are in Burnie in my house. I spent a month decorating the place. All of my books and my clothes are there. The first thing I do when I walk in the door of my house in Burnie is to throw the washing in the washing machine. Burnie is my residence. Senator Abetz should know all about this because he knocked off a senator on the north-west coast. He cleaned out the Liberal Party's north-west senators. Mr Miles knows full well the considerable amount of work I do, the consider able amount of time I spend there and the fact that I am living on the north-west coast.

Senator Alston —You're not going to answer these questions, are you? You've got two minutes left to answer the questions.

Opposition senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —Order! There are far too many interjections in the chamber. It is almost impossible to hear and I would ask senators to desist from being so disorderly.

Senator SHERRY —I raised the issue of Senator Brownhill and I did draw attention to Senator Brownhill's travel allowance claims. I did make the point that Senator Brownhill is in a very similar position to me. It is interesting that Senator Brownhill is not here at all this week. I did raise the issue of Senator Brownhill, although I have not made any remarks about Senator Brownhill. I have highlighted the effective work that he has carried out in respect of primary industries and resources—similar duties to me. Senator Brownhill, in the first year, was in Sydney for 48 nights.

Could all of the members and senators in this parliament put up their hands if they have not stayed privately? How many of you can say you have not stayed privately? Put up your hands, come on. How many of you have not stayed privately? I would be very interested to know. Do you want to open up that issue? Do you want to open up the issue of where everyone stays and have all of the Comcar records checked? You can check my Comcar records. If you want to open up that issue for everyone's scrutiny, go ahead. You have opened up my affairs. Fine. Go ahead. (Time expired)

Question resolved in the affirmative.