Labor says the Bentley anti-gas protest could represent the first real test for the state's new police minister.

The Opposition has used parliament to raise concerns about reports up to 800 police would be sent to the site when work begins later this month.

Labor's spokesman for Police and Emergency Services, Michael Daley, says that would be an overreaction.

He says minister Stuart Ayres should stop what would be a gross waste of taxpayers' money.

"It might have been okay for the former failed minister, Mike Gallacher, to have given police the green light to go ahead with this sort of giant break up of a protest," Mr Daley said.

"But the new minister is in control now.

"He should sit down with the senior police and just take stock of what's going to happen in Bentley.

"There must be a better way.

"After question time in parliament I took the time to go and meet some of these protesters.

"They weren't radicals, they were elderly people, well-respected seniors from the Bentley area, farmers.

"They're not the sort of people you'd be sending the riot squad in to crack heads on."

New South Wales Police is refusing to say how many officers are likely to be sent to Bentley, saying it does not comment on operational matters.