Adelaide City Council appoints Michael Sedgman as new chief executive and his pay package will be slightly below that of South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas

Adelaide City Council has appointed a new boss and his package is just below that of Premier Peter Malinauskas. Search the table and find out what your council chief executive earns here.

Adelaide City Council has appointed a new chief executive

Adelaide City Council has appointed Michael Sedgman as its new chief executive on a pay package slightly below that of South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Mr Sedgman, the state’s highest paid local government chief executive according to the Remuneration Tribunal, will receive a package worth $425,000 per year.

The former Murray Bridge Council boss, from 2015-2023, has acted in the role since December after joining the council as its chief operating officer last year.

Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said Mr Sedgman’s three-year appointment followed a six-month recruitment process, which spanned a national and international search.

Adelaide City Council’s new chief executive Michael Sedgman.

“There is no doubt Michael is one of the most highly qualified and experienced local government professionals in Australia and is the best candidate to lead our organisation into the future,” Dr Lomax-Smith said.

“Beyond his skills in strategic planning, Michael is a strong communicator, astute manager of finances and has a wealth of experience in areas such as governance, major projects and human resource management.

“Importantly, Michael also has strong existing relationships with city leaders and stakeholders, as well as with leaders within state government and the local government sector.”

In comparison, Mr Malinauskas takes home a package of $460,000 per year, while Child Protection boss Jackie Bray has a remuneration package of $439,304.

Defence SA chief executive Matt Opie’s package was worth $430,000, while Attorney-General department chief Caroline Mealor is on a $520,000 package. Highest paid is the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Damian Walker on a $734,589 package.

Defence SA boss Matt Opie.

Child Protection chief executive Jackie Bray.

The Remuneration Tribunal of South Australia sets eight bands of remuneration amounts for council chief executives, which were updated last month.

It included a two per cent increase to each band – which was not an automatic increase to chief executive pays as this was the prerogative of each council.

Mr Sedgman, who was part of the council’s executive team from 2006 to 2013 and held senior roles with the Planning Department and the City of Yarra, will be paid in the middle range of the Band 1 – between $414,000-$440,232.

The highest remuneration packages behind Adelaide City Council were those of Charles Sturt, Port Adelaide and West Torrens councils, which ranged from $396,240-$410,530.

The chief executive of Campbelltown Council commands a package of $357,760-$388,253.

Those at the bottom end of the scale were chief executives at Kimba, Kingston, Robe and Karoonda East Murray, which take home packages of $197,600-$234,437.