Australian taxpayers are footing the $3 million bill for Oprah's adventure's Down Under — is she worth it?

Yesterday Oprah announced that she was taking her studio audience on a trip to Australia and the media went crazy. It all sounded fabulous, but there is one teensy little catch. Oprah’s great Aussie adventure is going to cost taxpayers $3 million. But before you scoff at the hefty price tag, consider this: the Australian government paid $3 million to bring in Tiger Woods for the Australian Open last year and he brought in $34 million to the economy. Oprah's show rates 40 million US viewers a week and is broadcast to 145 countries where it reaches another 30 million viewers a week. The woman creates bestselling authors and has the masses frothing at her favourite things. Bali is now overrun with middle aged women on their Eat Pray Love adventures after “rock star author” Elizabeth Gilbert was featured on her show several times. Forget Paul Hogan or Lara Bingle, Oprah is the one who is going to bring in the big tourism bucks. But what do you think? Should the taxpayers be footing the bill for Oprah’s adventure?