Minister considers independent body to set council GM salaries

Councils general manager salary packages can range from $200,000 to a whopping $633,852. Ratepayers and council employees are now being asked, are they worth it?

City of Parramatta Council CEO Brett Newman is among the highest paid council general managers.

Ratepayers have been forced to fork out hundreds of thousands to pay their council’s general managers — but now they can say whether they feel they have been getting value for money.

Currently councils are allowed to set their own salaries for general managers, with a government consultation paper finding that packages range from $205,000 to as much as $633,852.

Local government minister Shelley Hancock has been looking into these packages and is “strongly considering” having an independent body set these salaries, rather than the councillors.

Ms Hancock said the government will wait to hear feedback from councillors, general managers and the public in response to the consultation paper before putting forward legislation.

“These managers should receive remuneration not only in line with their duties, skills

and experience but in accordance with community expectations,” Mrs Hancock said.

Monica Barone, City of Sydney CEO, earns more than half a million dollars in her role,

Council general manager salaries are determined by a combination of experience and the population and size of the council area.

The consultation paper found that maintaining the current status quo would allow councils flexibility and encourage highly skilled general managers to stay in the public sector, however community expectations need to be considered.

The paper found public pressure “has led other jurisdictions such as Victoria and South Australia to review the remuneration paid to the general managers of their councils and place caps on the maximum remuneration that can be paid to ensure they remain in line with community expectations.”

Ratepayers, council employees and general managers will be able to have their say until August 9 on the Office of Local Government website.

Northern Beaches Council CEO Ray Brownlee at his Dee Why office. Picture: Adam Yip

City of Parramatta ratepayers coughed up a total of $633,852 in the 2019/2020 financial year, which paid for current CEO Brett Newman, who started in September 2019, and also the cost of an acting CEO as well as extra pay for senior staff who took on some of those duties.

The Northern Beaches Council came in second dishing out $512,092 to CEO Ray Brownlee, who holds a Public Service Medal for his contributions to NSW.

Third highest paid was City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone, who took home $511,954.

Excluding county councils which have significantly smaller populations and responsibilities, the lowest paid general manager was Glenn Carroll at $205,000.

But not everyone wants to see the system change — President of the NSW Local Government Association Linda Scott said councils are best placed to make their own decisions.

“It’s important for all in public life to ensure that CEO salaries don’t reach levels that breach community trust,” Ms Scott Said.

“Our mayors and councillors are best placed to understand the needs and complexity of the communities that voted them into office, and to make their chief executive’s salary commensurate with the quality of leadership skills required.”