Melbourne
(ANI):
Oprah
Winfrey
will
be
treated
like
a
foreign
dignitary
on
her
visit
to
Australia.
The
talk
show
host
will
be
given
personal
protection
and
police
escort
vehicles
as
she
travels
through
Sydney,
reports
the
Daily
Telegraph.
Senior
police
sources
have
confirmed
that
the
Federal
Government
has
awarded
Winfrey
the
honour
of
being
a
'formal
guest
of
government," allowing
her
a
government
security
detail
and
police
escort
vehicles.
There
is
also
the
prospect
of
road
closures
on
December
14,
the
day
her
show
is
hosted
at
the
Opera
House,
with
the
NSW
Government
indicating
the
police
are
in
discussions
with
the
NSW
Roads
and
Traffic
Authority
about
how
her
show
will
be
managed.
Winfrey,
who
is
expected
to
arrive
in
Australia
next
week,
is
likely
to
stay
at
the
Intercontinental
Hotel
or
the
Shangri-La—the
two
highest-security
hotels
in
Sydney.
A
spokeswoman
for
NSW
Premier
Kristina
Keneally
said
details
of
the
cost
of
Winfrey's
trip
to
taxpayers
were
'yet
to
be
finalised".
“The
NSW
Police
Force
and
NSW
government
agencies
are
working
closely
together
to
ensure
the
visit
and
associated
events
take
place
without
incident," said
a
spokeswoman
for
Police
Minister
Michael
Daley.
But
Winfrey
appears
intent
on
testing
the
tight
security
arrangements.
“She
wants
to
immerse
herself
in
the
Aussie
culture
and
she
thinks
the
best
way
to
do
that
is
live
with
a
family
and
sit
down
to
dinner
with
them
by
the
barbecue,
play
a
bit
of
backyard
cricket
and
experience
their
lifestyle," said
a
source.