Melbourne (ANI): Money sure doesn't cost a thing for American socialite Paris Hilton, for the beauty spent 140 dollars a minute in Melbourne's Chapel Street shops. The hotel heiress, estimated at more than 50 million dollars, had arrived in the city with sister Nicky Hilton ahead of their appearance at the Bongo Virus New Year's Eve party in Sydney on December 31.

The party-lover spent 40 minutes while trying a range of different frocks, subsequently 'cleaning out' the designer racks, and putting more than 20 dresses in her kitty for a discount of about 5000 dollars. "It was actually over 10,000 dollars worth. But she did a show for me about four years ago (so the price) was marked down." News.com.au quoted designer Wayne Cooper as telling the Daily Telegraph.

However, the socialite's 140-dollar-a-minute spree has been slammed by charity heads, with World Vision Australia chief Tim Costello adding that the splurge could have supported a Third World village. Costello said: "In World Vision terms, 5000 dollars would ensure that a village of 2000 people in Africa or Asia would have clean water for the rest of their lives."

Similarly, open Family social worker Les Twentyman said Hilton's added: "It is quite obscene spending money like that. Some people are homeless and thousands of people a week are losing their jobs and it is quite obscene in some ways."