Greens leader Bob Brown has accused Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson of turning Australia into a police state, after reports he pushed for increased surveillance of environmental activists.
A report in Fairfax newspapers details documents, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, that show Mr Ferguson requested additional monitoring of anti-coal mining groups and other environmental groups.
Senator Brown claims coal and fossil fuel companies pressured Mr Ferguson into having the federal police spy on environment groups who protest against energy companies.
Senator Brown says tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayers' money is being spent having private contractors monitor activists.
"That paying of private corporations to spy on community groups is an abuse of taxpayers' money," he said.
ABC News
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