Qld university bosses pay packets drop but still dwarf Premier, PM
Despite slight drops in pay for most of the head honchos at Queensland universities, they all still make far more than the Queensland Premier and the Prime Minister.
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Despite seemingly slight drops in pay packets for most of the head honchos at Queensland universities, they all still make far more than the Queensland Premier and the Prime Minister.
The two highest-paid Vice-Chancellors – at the Queensland University of Technology and University of Queensland – make more than double Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s salary.
The Courier-Mail’s analysis of 2022 annual reports from the state’s seven universities revealed six of them posted financial losses – with their combined total sitting just shy of $600 million.
The reports also include updated remuneration packages for each institution’s Vice-Chancellor. Some provide exact pay packet figures, but many only provide broad brackets.
The leaders at UQ and QUT continue to be the only two to take home more than $1 million, despite both institutions posting a combined $440 million loss in 2022.
In comparison, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s annual salary was $427,561 as of January this year, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s salary increased to $549,250 in mid-2022.
The National Tertiary Education Union’s Queensland secretary Michael McNally said universities can disclose exact remuneration amounts for their senior employees in their annual reports, as some do. But many instead choose to put them into bands instead.
Mr McNally said it is then unknown whether a particular Vice-Chancellor is at the top or bottom of a particular band, meaning their remuneration could have changed by anywhere from three per cent to 10 per cent in a year.
“Our fundamental position is Vice-Chancellors should not be paid anything like $1 million salaries, they are public institutions … not BHP or Commonwealth Bank,” he said.
“At UQ, there are now 12 people who part of the Senior Executive Team who are earning $500,000 or more. In comparison to other universities, it is only two or three people. To have 12 is obscene.”
Mr McNally also pointed to new Enterprise Bargaining Agreements reached at many Queensland universities in recent months, but said the pay rises for staff in many of those new EBAs were not on the same level as their Vice-Chancellors.
REMUNERATION PACKAGES FOR QLD VICE-CHANCELLORS
University of Queensland
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Deborah Terry AO
2022: $1.195m
2021: $1.213m
The Courier-Mail asked UQ why Professor Terry’s pay had reduced by $18,000 in 2022, but the university did not respond. She remains comfortably the highest-paid Vice-Chancellor. UQ reported a $310.8m loss overall in its 2022 annual report and largely attributed this to significant losses in investments on the global sharemarkets.
Queensland University of Technology
Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil AO
2022: $1.05m
2021: $1.05m
QUT provided exact remuneration figures in its annual report and there was no change. The institution recorded a $130.4m loss, which was attributed to investments losing ground over the course of the year as well as lingering effects of the pandemic and the Queensland floods.
Griffith University
Vice-Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans
2022: $969,999
2021: $981,000
A Griffith University spokesman said the difference between the 2021 and 2022 values was due to accrued extras in Professor Evans’ package – for example, untaken annual leave. The spokesman said her base salary remained the same in 2021 and 2022. Overall, Griffith suffered a $69.7m loss last year, which was again partly attributed to investment losses.
University of Sunshine Coast
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett
2022: $960,000-$969,999
2021: $920,000-$929,999
The only institution where their leader had an increase in remuneration package in 2022. The Courier-Mail asked UniSC why this was the case, but they did not respond. UniSC was also the only university in the state to enjoy a surplus in 2022 – $34.9m to be exact. Its annual report highlighted on-campus student numbers were bouncing back strongly post-pandemic and it continued to expand its new Moreton Bay campus. Income streams such as consultancy, contracts and investments also performed stronger than forecast in 2022.
Central Queensland University
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Nicholas Klomp
2022: $780,000 – $794,999
2021: $870,000 – $884,999
A CQUniversity spokeswoman said the difference of at least $75,000 in Professor Klomp’s pay was due to a “one-off reinstatement of benefits” in 2021 that were “held back as part of cost-savings measures implemented in 2020”. These benefits were not paid again in 2022. CQUniversity posted a $24.3m loss which the institution attributed to ongoing pandemic effects and a slow return of international students.
James Cook University
Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Biggs
2022: $735,000 – $749,999
2021: $885,000 – $899,999
Professor Simon Biggs only took over the top job in February 2022, therefore the 2022 remuneration package bracket provided reflects his agreed salary. The 2021 figure reflects the pay for Vice Chancellor Professor Sandra Harding AO, who had been in charge at JCU for almost 15 years when she retired in February 2022. JCU suffered a $48.9m loss last year which they also attributed to lingering effects of Covid-19.
UnIversity of Southern Queensland
Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie
2022 – $703,653
2021 – $706,307
Minimal change at UniSQ, which reported a $15.5m loss overall last year, but this was considered an improvement given the deficit was feared to end up closer to $25m. Among the reasons was a decrease in employee related expenses due to recruitment challenges.
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