Britney Spears in Australian lip synch furore

SYDNEY (AFP) - Britney Spears' Australian tour ran into controversy before it even began, with an official suggesting concert goers should be told if the pop icon would be miming her songs.

Spears, who has rebuilt her career after myriad personal troubles in the wake of her 2006 divorce from ex-husband Kevin Federline, is due to kick off her Circus tour Down Under later Friday.

But reports that she will lip-sync during many of the concerts prompted the New South Wales Minister for Fair Trading to suggest tickets should carry disclaimers about whether parts of the concerts were pre-recorded.

Australians would not tolerate a "Mickey Mouse performance", Virginia Judge told Sydney's Daily Telegraph in reference to the US star's past as one of Disney's Mouseketeer personalities.

"Let's be clear -- live means live," she said.

"If you are spending up to 200 dollars (182 US), I think you deserve better than a film clip."

Judge said the state New South Wales government would be happy to look at options such as placing a disclaimer on a ticket that would warn consumers a performance was pre-recorded.

The minister said she had nothing against Spears but felt that concert goers should be told if musicians would be singing live.

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