CSG protesters being spied on: Hutton

8 Feb 2012, 3:31 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne accused federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson in parliament of lobbying for the AFP to spy on CSG protesters in Queensland and NSW. (AAP)

Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne accused federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson in parliament of lobbying for the AFP to spy on CSG protesters in Queensland and NSW. (AAP)

Drew Hutton, who founded the activist group Lock The Gate, is convinced federal police have been spying on "ordinary folk" protesting against CSG.

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Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne accused federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson in parliament of lobbying for the AFP to spy on CSG protesters in Queensland and NSW.

Labor frontbencher Joe Ludwig told the Senate on Tuesday "no request had been received by the AFP from the office of the Honourable Martin Ferguson or any other minister's office".

But he did not directly answer another question about whether Mr Ferguson had personally made the request.

Drew Hutton, who founded the protest group Lock The Gate, is convinced federal officers have been spying on "ordinary folk" who were concerned about mining companies coming onto their land.

"It's a worrying development because I think it goes hand-in-hand with some quite repressive actions which we've already seen in regard to these protests," he told AAP.

"I have no doubt at all that it's happened.

"It's absolutely outrageous - there's been no indication from any of the Lock The Gate groups that they are going to participate in anything but non-violent protests.

"They've universally been peaceful and universally co-operative with police."

Heidi Ross, of Keep The Scenic Rim Scenic, says using the AFP to spy on farmers shows how desperate the federal government is to protect an industry which has the capacity to pump millions of dollars into its coffers.

"Governments must be very, very scared of what happens when the ordinary people start to revolt against them," she said.

"We've seen people-power triumph in other parts of the world and it must be very threatening to governments.

"When good, God-fearing citizens turn to civil disobedience you have to ask what's wrong and obviously that terrifies governments."

Ms Ross said it was very obvious during the recent anti-CSG blockade at Kerry, south of Brisbane, that extensive resources were devoted to photographing the faces of farmers and their supporters.

"We were amused, but it also makes you angry that as an ordinary citizen you were being classed as a criminal, you were being watched as though you were somebody terrible, that's very sad," she said.

Senator Milne also called on Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell to say whether or not their states' police forces were working with energy companies to make sure protesters were charged under laws that incurred higher penalties compared to simple trespass laws.

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