In September 1995 the New South Wales Government released government files relating to the Hilton Bombing. A large amount of information relating to the inner working of law enforcement and political intelligence agencies was placed on access at the State Archives for a limited period. Among this material is one file (Archive file HB 68.1) which can be usefully compared with the Privacy Committee's 1978 inspection into Police Special Branch Records, which was undertaken shortly before the Hilton Bombing and published as a report shortly after it.

The file contains two items described as running sheets. From the Privacy Committee's Report, these can be recognised as the Special Branch files on the Ananda Marga (AM) organisation. The Privacy Committee's Report explains that the files maintained by the Branch on individuals and groups consisted of one or more police running sheets (P 109s) describing or referring to other documentation which is either attached to the running sheet or cross referenced to another file.

The first file consists of more than 20 running sheets, together with attachments recording detailed surveillance of Ananda Marga by the Branch over the period between 18th August 1976 to 31st January 1978. In all it amounts to approximately 180 sheets. The second file contains a more diffuse collection of data on the group over a longer period from September 1977 up to 1989.

A principal object of the first file was to identify and locate all people associated with AM. Copies of the group's publication Dharma are combed for names of contributors and editorial staff, with the running sheets recording against individuals whether they are already identified by the Branch or whether it is thought necessary to identify them. Information on a company associated with AM is received from the Bureau of Customs and the officers identified. Details of bank accounts operated and properties rented by the group are collected to identify the people operating or renting them. Memoranda to the Branch commanding officer refer to photocopies of letters obtained from police in Perth and the ACT containing Sydney addresses, and to the need to establish who is living at these addresses. The Commonwealth Police provided details of the people using post office boxes operated by the group.

The Branch is also shown to have engaged in broader surveillance activities. It reported on the people attending a meeting sponsored by a group identified as a front for AM which was addressed by a prominent judge, and recorded the registration details of vehicles attending a symposium organised by AM in December 1977. There is a copy of an interview between ASIO and a contrite ex-Anada Marga member who was being security vetted for the Commonwealth public service.

The Branch appears not to have limited itself to the passive collection of information about the group. There is evidence of discreet pressure to channel or contain its activities. Organisations which advertised in Dharma were contacted by the Branch. Officers followed up an unsuccessful attempt by the group to affiliate with the Australian Council of Overseas Aid by contacting existing member organisations. It reported on group members found to be conducting Yoga classes in prisons and seems to have played a role in putting a stop to this.

The Branch showed a great deal of interest in the finalisation of the venue for a camp sponsored by AM in January 1978. Following a tip-off from the New Zealand Central Intelligence Unit, the Branch had discussions with the Scout Association over a possible lease of premises for the conference. Other attempts by the group to rent conference facilities were recorded. One entry notes with apparent satisfaction that AM was turned down because of damage which occurred on a previous booking. Several months before the federal Government imposed a ban on the entry of sect members in January 1978 the Branch received details from the FBI by way of the Canberra Special Branch on visa applications from oversees delegates to the conference.

The conference was eventually held at the Methodist Central Mission's centre at Vision Valley, under extremely thorough intelligence surveillance. Copies of 21 documents from the conference including the timetable and security arrangements at the entrance were obtained and placed on the file.

The earlier entries on file 1(b)1 relate more specifically to a campaign of harassment against Indian government and trade organisations attributed to AM during September and October 1977. There are also a number of copies of ASIO interviews with ex-members and associates. These are notable for their emphasis on the movement's proclivity for violence. At the top of the file there is a precis of events involving AM in New South Wales between July 1973 and September 1977 drawn up by the Branch and a copy of an ASIO Dossier on AM (described as from the Commonwealth Attorney-General), containing a long list of members.

The file also documents continued monitoring of AM related activity during the 1980s, including a parliamentary attack by George Petersen on police raids against AM, and a report of a meeting of the Australian Workers Group in September 1981, where the campaign to release Alister, Dunn and Anderson was discussed.

A copy of a private letter from Ross Dunn to Tim Anderson dated 25th January 1989 shows that surveillance was continuing on former AM members. When Tim Anderson was arrested for a suspected break and enter the Police incident report found its way onto the file. At this time, as other archive files show, the police were actively investigating Anderson's alleged involvement in the Hilton bombing through prison informers. Anderson was arrested for this on 30th May 1989.

A number of records unrelated to AM are included in the Archive file. There is a subfile related to the 1985 Report by the Anti-Discrimination Board on Discrimination and Religious Conviction. The documentation includes correspondence with the Bureau of Criminal Intelligence over deprogramming of sect members and press cuttings, leaflets and references to the Moonies and the Children of God.

Overall, the Special Branch files illustrate some of the resources a law enforcement agency can draw on from other public and private organisations when putting an organisation and its members under surveillance. It hardly needs to be said that these capacities have been significantly advanced since the late 1970s.