Anthony O'Connor appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon, after being arrested on a warrant from 2006.

O'Connor, who was previously in jail in NSW for drug offences, allegedly breached his parole conditions when he moved back to the ACT, where he grew up, for a job.

He told the court he had a job and was perplexed as to why he had been arrested after 16 years.

Prosecutor Sam Bargwanna told the court O'Connor was essentially an escaped prisoner and should technically be in jail due the cancellation of his parole.

Special magistrate Margret Hunter was also surprised as to why the warrant was only being executed now.

She told O'Connor she was "minded to give bail" but she had to send him back to NSW to go before the NSW State Parole Authority.

Right after, the court heard the separate but similar case of Robert Brown, who had been arrested on an outstanding warrant issued in 2000 after his NSW parole was also cancelled.

Brown was also confused as to why he had been arrested after so many years, telling the court he was "not that person anymore" and that he was scared for his son's wellbeing.

Ms Hunter said the circumstances were "grossly unfair" but she also had to approve Brown's extradition to NSW because the law around parolees meant her "hands are tied".

She said it was as if "someone has been looking in the bottom drawer" to find outstanding warrants for parole breaches.

"If I had a choice, I would not have done it," Ms Hunter said of the decisions to approve extradition.

NSW Police officers were in court to extradite both men across the border, where they will be held in Queanbeyan until they go before the state parole board.

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