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Prince's Aussie tour under fire

Britain's Prince Harry hasn't even arrived in Sydney to start a four-month trip and already he's flown into a controversy.

The prince, third in line to the British throne, was expected to land late yesterday or early today at Sydney's airport, following a path beaten by thousands of British backpackers each year.

He is also following in the footsteps of his father, Prince Charles, who attended school in the southern state of Victoria from February to July 1966.

The 19-year-old Harry, fresh from completing studies at the exclusive Eton boarding school, will be shadowed by British security agents backed up by Australian officers -- a security operation expected to cost taxpayers here A$600,000 (US$400,000).

Kevin Rudd, foreign affairs spokesman for the opposition Labor Party, said he would have no problem with the government footing the bill if the prince was going to do charity work during his visit.

``But if it is just a bit of a jaunt, I think maybe we should look carefully at the cost-sharing arrangements with the British government on this, because it's a lot of money,'' he told Australian television.

Exactly what the prince will do on his trip is a closely guarded secret.

Speculation centers on cheering England at the Rugby World Cup due to start early next month, playing polo and possibly visiting a remote Aboriginal settlement.

Such a visit could stir up emotion in the underprivileged indigenous population. Harry recently was accused by some Aborigines of "cultural theft" for using sacred indigenous images in his paintings without permission.

The Australian Republican Movement said it would not seek a meeting with Harry to discuss the issue.
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