London/Perth, Oct.9 (ANI): Nearly two million dollars of Australiantax payers' money will be used entertain Queen Elizabeth, world leaders and delegates attending the opening ceremony of the CHOGM talks here later this month.
Government tender documents confirm Australians have already been handed a bill for 21 million dollars to stage the talks, a cost expected to nearly triple to 58 million dollars.
The Great Big Events company, which produced the Sydney Olympics, has secured the contract for the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Perth later this month.
A further 500,000 dollars will be paid to Globecast Australia to organise broadcast services, The Telegraph reports.
Luxury hotels in Perth will secure a 10 million dollars payday. But the majority of that money will eventually be reimbursed to Australian taxpayers by member states attending the talks.
Leaders from 54 nations including British Prime Minister David Cameron will fly into Australia for the meeting which will run from October 28 to 30.
While the government will foot the accommodation bill for world leaders, foreign ministers and one senior official to attend thetalks, member states will be asked to reimburse taxpayers for the cost for additional delegates.
Responsibility for security arrangements for CHOGM 2011 is shared between the Australian government and the Western Australian government.
Preparations are in full swing in Perth with motorcades operating practice runs at 3am this week. The total cost of the security operation will not be known for months. (ANI)
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