Detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre were overcharged more than $123,000 for phone calls over a two-year period, with nearly $46,000 still owed to hundreds of affected inmates, an ACT Ombudsman investigation has found.

The ACT Ombudsman has found that people in detention at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) were overcharged for phone call costs over a two-year period, affecting 980 people and resulting in total overcharges of $123,235.

Of those affected, 486 people are still collectively owed more than $46,000.

The investigation followed a complaint about new phone call charges introduced on December 5 2024, after a six-month period during which calls were free. The complaint alleged the new charges were “extortionate”.

The Ombudsman found ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) did not properly consider the appropriateness of the new call charges and had been overcharging people in detention for phone calls.

ACT Ombudsman Iain Anderson said: “Having access to phone calls is an important lifeline for people in detention to maintain connections with families, friends and other services.

“If call charges are prohibitive, this affects the rehabilitative outcomes for people in detention.”

The investigation also found that when ACTCS identified the overcharging issue, it did not advise oversight agencies, failed to apologise to affected people and did not take reasonable steps to contact those who were owed reimbursements.

“These findings are an opportunity for ACTCS to ensure it is complying with the law and improve access to communications for people in detention to help strengthen positive and pro-social relationships with their friends, families and services,” Mr Anderson said.

The Ombudsman made five recommendations, including reviewing call costs, publicly apologising and reimbursing affected people, establishing facilities to allow people in detention to receive calls as required by law, and implementing digital services to improve access to communication.

ACT Corrective Services has accepted all five recommendations.