The Australian Privacy Foundation has urged the federal government to support a United Nations resolution bolstering international privacy protection in the wake of more revelations about Australia’s surveillance of Indonesian ministers.

"As we find out what our national security agencies are doing overseas, it makes you wonder what they're doing within Australia,” the chairman of the foundation’s board, Roger Clarke, told Guardian Australia.

"We know that parliaments have granted national security agencies enormous powers since 2001. We know that those powers are not subject to proper controls. For all we know, they could be self-authorising all manner of intrusions, here as well as in Jakarta.”

Documents published by Guardian Australia and the ABC show Australia’s intelligence services attempted to monitor the phone of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, other ministers and high-level officials.

The revelations led to Indonesia recalling its ambassador to Australia on Monday evening.

"The UN has a draft resolution on the table relating to the protection of the right to privacy against both international and domestic surveillance of communications,” Clarke said.

The foundation has written to the foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, and the attorney-general George Brandis urging the government to support the measure.

“The draft resolution recognises the importance of the right to privacy in facilitating and upholding the right to freedom of expression, illustrating the significance of privacy in ensuring democratic governance.

“APF strongly supports Australia exercising both its vote, and its current, very considerable influence within the UN, in favour of the motion,” the letter reads.

The resolution asks the United Nations high commissioner for human rights to prepare a report on principles, standards and best practices for governments on electronic surveillance techniques and privacy.

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam is also calling for an inquiry into Australia’s surveillance practices.

“Are we seriously meant to believe that the president of Indonesia, his wife and his leadership team are a national security threat to Australia?

“The Greens believe there must be an immediate inquiry into surveillance overreach and the damage it is doing to diplomacy, business confidence and personal privacy protections. Last week the government and Labor party voted down a resolution to this effect; the Greens intend to give them another opportunity soon.”