London,
(ANI):
Talk
show
host
Oprah
Winfrey"s
decision
to
gift
300
people
with
tickets
to
Australia
has
angered
the
country"s
ministers,
as
the
1.8
million
pounds
bill
will
have
to
be
footed
by
the
tourism
department.
Winfrey,
56,
had
promised
her
audience
members
on
September
13
that
she
will
treat
them
with
a
trip
to
Sydney
in
December
to
celebrate
her
25th
and
final
season
of
the
Oprah
show.
It
later
emerged
that
the
state
of
New
South
Wales
and
Australia"s
tourism
department
will
be
paying
the
staggering
bill,
which
is
said
will
help
lure
a
huge
amount
of
visitors
to
their
shores.
“I
think
it"s
money
well
spent.
This
truly
represents
an
amazing
opportunity
to
showcase
Australia,
the
warmth
and
hospitality
of
our
people
and
the
depth
and
breadth
of
everything
our
country
has
to
offer
visitors
from
around
the
world," the
Daily
Star
quoted
Tourism
Minister
Martin
Ferguson
as
saying.
His
West
Australian
counterpart,
Liz
Constable,
has
also
reacted
with
fury
at
news
of
the
massive
bill,
which
she
only
found
out
about
as
it
was
announced
earlier
this
week.
“I
have
spoken
to
the
federal
minister
Martin
Ferguson
about
this
and
expressed
my
disgust
with
the
way
Tourism
Australia
has
handled
this
situation," she
stated.