APEC Update

Cost are now put at $331 million for the Asian talkfest, APEC. That is the Federal component, with more coming from state coffers.

Security alone will cost a staggering $143 million with 21 world leaders, including US President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, heading to Sydney next September.

Business groups say the New South Wales Government's decision to grant the people of Sydney a public holiday during APEC will cost businesses around $320 million.

But there won’t be much opportunity to protest the waste, with security fences and road closures being supplemented by a $600,000 water cannon. Premier Morris Iemma says the $600,000 US-built cannon will knock unruly protesters off their feet.

"Any protesters who are considering violent disruptions during the APEC conference should count this as a warning," says Iemma.

All of this and the number of delegates now expected is far short of original estimates. Mind you, if I was still living in Sydney I would be getting out for the duration. As a PR exercise the security measures are not a good sell.