City of Greater Geelong’s annual report shows significant increase in executive pay

As the current Geelong council gets set to convene for the final time, a more than 25 per cent jump in the amount paid to City Hall’s most senior figures has been recorded.

The current Geelong council will convene for the final time on Tuesday evening. Picture: Mike Dugdale.

The amount paid to City Hall’s most senior figures has significantly increased during the past 12 months.

Key management personnel (KMP) were collectively paid $3.1m last financial year, a 27 per jump on the previous period.

The current Geelong council will convene for the final time on Tuesday evening to consider the organisation’s 2023/24 annual report.

Contained within the document is the remuneration breakdown for senior staff, including KMP – the chief executive, executive directors and councillors.

Salary payments of $2.6m, up 16 per cent, made up the majority, while almost $500,000 was spent on termination and post-employment benefits for departing executives.

Acting chief executive Kaarina Phyland left City Hall in September, just a week after Ali Wastie took the top job, while long-serving executives Robyn Stevens and Gareth Smith departed immediately after Ms Wastie announced her new leadership team in early December.

All councillors received a $39,390 allowance, while Mayor Trent Sullivan was paid $130,390 and deputy mayor Anthony Aitken $65,195.

Those allowances have increased marginally this financial year.

In May, the Addy reported that Ms Wastie will be paid $543,000 in 2024/25, well up on the $450,000 annual salary she was initially appointed on.

Geelong council chief executive Ali Wastie and Mayor Trent Sullivan.

Outside of KMP, the salary of 24 City Hall employees exceeded $170,000, including 11 who earned more than $240,000.

Total employee costs, incorporating wages, salaries, superannuation and “other costs”, came to $190m.

The annual report also outlined the biggest challenges council faced in 2023/24.

Among them were reviewing its role of delivering aged care services in response to the federal government’s aged care reforms, addressing the ongoing impacts of climate change, and lobbying the state government around the make-up of Geelong’s legacy facilities following the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games.

City Hall received $306m in rates and charges during the period.

Almost $140m was spent on capital works, while more that 95,000 hours of early childhood education and care was delivered, almost 50,000 meals were provided to vulnerable residents, and 46,740 dogs and cats were registered.

“As the community’s elected representatives, our council bases its decision-making on positioning Greater Geelong for an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable future,” Mr Sullivan and Ms Wastie wrote in a joint message.

“We have sought to balance this longer-term outlook with a desire to meet the current day needs and expectations of the people they represent.

“Our executive and senior leaders have been keenly focused on operating as efficiently as possible to deliver the best value to ratepayers, without compromising our core services that are so highly valued.”

Originally published as City of Greater Geelong’s annual report shows significant increase in executive pay