Public service pay packets: Councils, Sunwater, health services and TMR CEOs’ earnings revealed

Public servants in these regional cities are taking home as much (and in some cases, more than) the premier of Queensland. Here’s a breakdown of high-ranking CEO salaries.

Gympie council CEO Shane Gray.

It’s no secret CEOs are some of the highest paid people in the Wide Bay region but just how much are its public servant chief’s taking home?

The Bundaberg Newsmail, Fraser Coast Chronicle and Gympie Times crunched the numbers and found some of the high-ranking locals were taking home as much and in some cases, more, than the Queensland Premier.

Ms Palaszczuk’s salary was previously $399,955 but it’s been expected to increase to $427,500 by September this year.

COUNCILS

Bundaberg Regional Council

Bundaberg Regional Council CEO Steve Johnston nets $428,699 per annum on a four-year contract, earning him just a little more than Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk‘s annual income of $427,500.

Fraser Coast Regional Council CEO Ken Diehm. Photo: Cody Fox

Fraser Coast Regional Council

Fraser Coast Regional Council CEO Ken Diehm earns somewhere between $400,000 to $500,000 a year, according to the council‘s annual report from 2020.

The council lists one senior executive as receiving between $200,000 to $300,000, with three earning $300,000 to $400,000 and one on $400,000 to $500,000.

Though exact names are not listed, Bundaberg Regional Council has said that Bundaberg CEO Steve Johnston‘s $428,699 annual pay packet is in line with other council CEOs, including Mr Diehm.

Gympie council CEO Shane Gray.

Gympie Regional Council

Gympie Regional Council pays its four most senior staff a total of $1,420,348.

In the breakdown included its 2020 report, three of those executives bank between $150,000 and $249,000 annually, leaving just one to take home $250,000 to $349,999 per year.

Gympie council’s CEO is Shane Gray.

South Burnett Regional Council.

South Burnett Regional Council

According to the 2019-20 annual report, the council has four senior executives earning $200-299,000 each annually.

A salary band provision of $300,000 plus is listed in the report but the number of employees in receipt of this payment is zero.

North Burnett Regional Council information was not able to be found. Picture: Facebook

North Burnett Regional Council

North Burnett Regional Council has three senior employees receiving between $200,000 and $300,000 a year, according to the 2019-20 financial report.

TAFE flags. Tim Dodd/The Australian

TAFE

The east coast general manager was paid $261,000 in 19-20, while Queensland’s TAFE CEO nets $364,000 per annum according to the 2019-20 annual report.

Nicole Hollows.

SUNWATER

CEO Nicole Hollows was paid a total of $699,000 in 2019, and $611,000 in 2020. She has since resigned.

Sunwater covers a wide region including Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and up to Townsville.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads lists the total expenses for their statewide director general as $632,000. Picture: Patrick Woods.

TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS

The Department of Transport and Main Roads lists the total expenses for their statewide director general as $632,000, with the deputy director general in charge of customer services, safety and regulation earning $325,000 per year.

The deputy director general of infrastructure management and delivery earns $329,000 annually, while Translink‘s deputy-director general nets $355,000 and the deputy director general for policy, planning and investment takes $310,000 a year.

WIDE BAY HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICE

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service CEO Debbie Carroll took home $288,000 according to the 2019-20 annual report.

However, it should be noted that her position was taken up in place of former CEO Adrian Pennington who earned $438,000 according to that report.

This means Ms Carroll’s income was a mixed income from her previous health role and her newer role as CEO.

In 2018-19, Mr Pennington’s pay packet was $453,000.

SUNSHINE COAST HEALTH SERVICE

The Interim Health Service Chief Executive of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, which governs the Gympie region, is Dr Mark Waters.

Mr Waters takes home a pay of $458,000 per year.

Mr Waters took the position of CEO this year after the sudden departure of Naomi Dwyer.