Every council CEO’s salary listed: Adelaide City Council’s Clare Mockler takes home the biggest salary

Senior SA council execs are raking in huge salaries. So which CEO is taking home the biggest pay packet? The answer might surprise you.

Council rate hikes that have hit householders will partly go towards a massive bill for fat cats, with Adelaide metro council CEOs taking home $5.8 million this year.

Council salary registers, which must be made public by law, this year show the 20 Adelaide council CEOs will be paid between $245,785 and $363,636.

Adelaide City Council CEO Clare Mockler will take home the biggest salary, and Gawler CEO Henry Inat the smallest.

Another 50 executives are employed on more than $200,000 each year, to help out the CEOs.

Together they cost ratepayers an eye-watering bill which goes well over $10 million.

Hundreds of thousands more go into superannuation payments and perks such as ratepayer-funded cars.

The Advertiser revealed this week councils aim to take $130 million more in rates in 2023/24 than the previous year.

Adelaide City Council chief executive officer Clare Mockler. Picture: Adelaide City Council

Terry Buss from West Torrens Council is the highest paid CEO of any suburban council. Picture: supplied

In comparison, Premier Peter Malinauskas earns $450,000 each year and Opposition Leader David Speirs $350,000.

Australian Services Union assistant secretary Scott Cowan said the huge salaries did not pass the pub test.

“Council CEO wages are too high but by comparison, the pay for everyday council workers is going backwards against inflation, with rising housing and energy costs making it harder and harder to make ends meet,” he said.

“Council CEO wages simply don’t pass the pub test, often being five or six times the wage of a frontline Council worker and that needs to change.”

Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith defended the role and the complexities involved.

“Our CEO, Clare Mockler leads an organisation with more than 770 full time staff and assets valued in excess of $2 billion,” she said.

Burnside Council chief executive Chris Cowley. Picture: Supplied

Chief Executive Officer at Campbelltown City Council Paul Di lulio. Picture: Supplied

“It’s an extraordinarily challenging role leading a politicised organisation to ensure it continues to deliver for our community.

“Every day more than 315,000 people visit the City of Adelaide, which has approximately 130,000 city workers, over 26,000 residents and close to 15,000 local business.

“The CEO’s salary package was independently assessed, based on external advice, and benchmarked against market conditions.”

The LGA defended the work of all council CEO and spokesman said: “Chief Executive Officers in councils oversee delivery of essential community services, manage multimillion-dollar budgets, and are responsible for billions of dollars in public infrastructure”.

“Attracting and retaining the right skills and experience for these roles is essential, and councils must be competitive with other levels of government.”

“The independent Remuneration Tribunal of SA has set allowances for council members for many years and now, salaries for CEOs will also be set by this independent tribunal.”

Gawler Council chief executive Henry Inat Picture: Supplied

ADELAIDE METRO COUNCIL’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE SALARIES

City of Adelaide

Clare Mockler $363,636

Others over $200,000: 6

Adelaide Hills Council

David Waters (acting) $234,916

Others over $200,000: 1

City of Burnside

Chris Cowley $251,142

Others over $200,000: 3

Campbelltown City Council

Paul Di lulio $287,658

Others over $200,000: 3

City of Charles Sturt

Paul Sutton $308,841

Others over $200,000: 3

Town of Gawler

Henry Inat $245,785

Others over $200,000: None

City of Holdfast Bay

Roberto Bria $272,103

Others over $200,000: 1

City of Marion

Tony Harrisson $277,000

Others over $200,000: 4

City of Mitcham

Matt Pears $286,015

Others over $200,000: 4

Mount Barker District Council

Andrew Stuart $280,268

Others over $200,000: 1

City of Norwood Payneham and St Peters

Mario Barone $265,000

Others over $200,000: None

City of Onkaparinga

Julia Grant $304,500

Others over $200,000: 5

City of Playford

Sam Green $313,035

Others over $200,000: 2

City of Port Adelaide Enfield

Mark Withers $320,359

Others over $200,000: 3

City of Prospect

Chris White $269,774

Others over $200,000: None

City of Salisbury

John Harry $326,266

Others over $200,000: 4

City of Tea Tree Gully

Ryan McMahon $308,841

Others over $200,000: 3

City of Unley

Peter Tsokas $292,208

Others over $200,000: 3

Town of Walkerville

Scott Reardon $252,927

Others over $200,000: None

City of West Torrens

Terry Buss $339,956

Others over $200,000: 3

Source: Council salary registers.