Prisoners can earn wages while they are in custody. Prisoner wages include an 'unemployment rate' and there are different rates of pay for different jobs and activities.

Earnings can be spent on canteen (weekly purchase of selected items such as tobacco, snack foods, toiletries etc), telephone calls, hobbies, and so on.

Prisoners have access to a telephone system called Arunta. Phone calls are time-limited and may be monitored by prison security staff. Each prisoner pays for his/her phone calls by using an ID number (linked to his/her personal phone account). 

More information about phone calls.