The eye-watering salaries of Qld’s eight grammar school principals revealed, some commanding $78k pay rises
They earn wages that eclipse Premier Steven Miles and rival Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with eye-watering salaries and pay rises that dwarf counterparts in the state system.
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The latest pay packets for Queensland’s eight grammar school principals can be revealed, with one principal picking up consecutive pay rises of $78,000 and $66,000 over the past two years.
Three of the state’s prestigious school leaders earn pay packets which surpass Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with the PM’s salary around $587,000 last year.
Seven of the eight grammar school leaders earn more than Premier Steven Miles, whose total remuneration is just shy of $445,000.
The latest salaries were revealed in a Courier-Mail analysis of the 2023 annual reports, which were submitted to Education Minister Di Farmer and tabled in State Parliament.
The total remuneration package values consist primarily of base salary, as well as other benefits such as allowances, annual leave entitlements, accrued long service leave, employer superannuation contributions, school fee remission, and provision of housing.
None of the grammar school packages pay performance bonuses.
Ipswich Grammar School headmaster Richard Morrison remains the highest paid grammar school leader, with his total remuneration rising to $679,000 in 2023.
This represented a $78,000 total remuneration package increase compared to 2022, including a $25,000 rise in base salary.
Mr Morrison received the highest total remuneration package increase in 2023.
Mr Morrison will retire at the end of Term 3 2024, with Ipswich Grammar School old boy Dr Adam Forsyth to take over as the 17th headmaster at the beginning of Term 4.
Ipswich Grammar School was contacted for further comment, but declined.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School Jacinda Euler received the highest base salary increase in 2023, with a $54,000 increase to $588,588. Her total pay packet rose to almost $640,000.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School was also contacted for further comment, but declined.
In comparison, Queensland state school principal base salaries are split into 10 bands. As of July 2023, their pay ranged from $138,349 up to $228,649.
However, as of July 2024, as part of the agreed enterprise bargaining agreement reached, the salary range for state school principals will increase to $142,500-$235,508 per year.
Ipswich Grammar School
Richard Morrison started as 16th headmaster and CEO in 2016. The outgoing leader has more than 30 years’ experience in education, including work in Abu Dhabi and the Middle East. He previously held senior roles at Brisbane State High School and Education Queensland.
2023
Total remuneration – $679,000
Base salary – $541,000
2022
Total remuneration – $601,000
Base salary – $516,000
2021
Total remuneration – $535,000
Base salary – $460,000
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Jacinda Euler took over in 2013. She previously taught at Girls Grammar (2000-2007), and held senior positions in Sydney’ Pymble Ladies College and SCECGS Redlands.
2023
Total remuneration – $639,956
Base salary – $588,588
2022
Total remuneration – $585,657
Base salary – $534,518
2021
Total remuneration – $578,893
Base salary – $501,060
Brisbane Grammar School
Anthony Micallef is the 12th BGS headmaster, having started in 2014. He is a graduate of the University of Sydney and previously completed a sabbatical at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In 2023, he received a $31,000 rise in base salary, and a $35,000 overall total remuneration package increase.
2023
Total remuneration – $634,000
Base salary – $548,000
2022
Total remuneration – $599,000
Base salary – $517,000
2021
Total remuneration – $575,000
Base salary – $497,000
Rockhampton Grammar School
Dr Phillip Moulds OAM has been headmaster for more than a decade. Prior to this, he held various positions at Brisbane Grammar School during an 18-year tenure, including deputy headmaster. In 2023, he took a $7000 cut to his base salary and total remuneration.
2023
Total remuneration – $579,712
Base salary – $487,210
2022
Total remuneration – $586,775
Base salary – $494,189
2021
Total remuneration – $540,000
Base salary – $421,645
Townsville Grammar School
Timothy Kelly has been Townsville’s headmaster since 2018. He had previously been a deputy headmaster of Toowoomba Grammar School. Last year, he received a $22,000 base salary rise, and overall $23,000 increase to his total remuneration package.
2023
Total remuneration – $549,000
Base salary – $493,000
2022
Total remuneration – $526,000
Base salary – $471,000
2021
Total remuneration – $443,000
Base salary – $376,000
Toowoomba Grammar School
Dr John Kinniburgh is a qualified chartered geographer and obtained a PhD in education from Macquarie University. He is a former deputy headmaster at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. His base salary jumped by $26,000 last year, and his total remuneration went up by $36,000.
2023
Total remuneration – $505,000
Base salary – $365,000
2022
Total remuneration – $469,000
Base salary – $339,000
2021
Total remuneration – $449,000
Base salary – $332,000
Ipswich Girls Grammar School
Dr Marie Perry, a highly-regarded educator with more than 30 years’ experience, only started as principal in January 2023, replacing Dr Peter Britton who had been in the role for 12 years. Dr Perry’s incoming base salary is significantly less than Dr Britton’s outgoing base salary, but on par with the principal’s base salary in 2021.
2023
Total remuneration – $452,000
Base salary – $370,000
2022
Total remuneration – $563,000
Base salary – $514,000
2021
Total remuneration – $448,000
Base salary – $375,000
Rockhampton Girls Grammar School
Kara Krehlik was appointed permanent principal at Rockhampton Girls Grammar School in November 2021, after serving as deputy. She began her teaching career in Cloncurry in 2007 and has later worked at a number of regional Queensland schools. Ms Krehlik’s base salary increased by just over $10,000 and her total remuneration by little more than $11,000.
2023
Total remuneration – $213,138
Base salary – $190,038
2022
Total remuneration – $201,860
Base salary – $179,969
2021
Total remuneration – $155,354
*Ms Krehlik’s total remuneration transitioning from Deputy Principal to Principal
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