The eye-watering cash Qld’s top bureaucrats are pocketing

They pull the strings behind the scenes on the state government’s biggest departments and corporations. Now we’ve pulled the curtain on their massive pay packets.

(clockwise from top left) Former Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll; former Chief Health Officer John Gerrard; Qld Investment Corporation CEO Kylie Rampa; former Public Sector Commissioner David Mackie; former Department of Justice and the Attorney-General director-general Jasmina Joldic; former Department of Premier and Cabinet director-general Mike Kaiser.

The bosses of four Queensland Government authorities now each rake in more than $1 million a year, with another four close to seven figures.

An analysis of annual reports for the 2023-24 financial year also showed the topdirector-generals were now paid more than $700,000, as was the CEO of Brisbane City Council, the nation’s biggest local government.

Some pay packets have risen more than $100,000, although most increases were much less.

And some total remuneration was truly eye-watering once bonuses were factored in.

It emerged recently that in excess of $91m in performance and retention payments were made to Queensland Investment Corporation’s top bosses and 878 staff last financial year.

That was more than the $88m dividend given back to the Queensland Government.

Just under $10 million in total remuneration was paid to key QIC management personnel including four senior executives and nine board directors.

The million-dollar set included: Energy QueenslandCEO Peter Scott ($1,127,000); Powerlink CEO Paul Simshauser ($1,046,000); Stanwell CEO Michael O’Rourke ($1,054,000); and Queensland Treasury Corporation CEO Leon Allen ($1,253,568).

Those nudging the golden $1m barrier included: Queensland Rail CEO Kat Stapleton ($903,000); CS Energy CEO Darren Busine ($991,000)and QIC CEO Kylie Rampa ($985,719).

Leon Allen. Picture: David Clark

The heads of government-owned corporations (GOCs) and statutory authorities such as Powerlink, Queensland Rail and the Queensland Treasury Corporation were on the most generous deals.

But even departmental directors-general earned far more than the ministers to whom they reported.

Brisbane City Council’s CEO also earned about twice as much as Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, even though he was Australia’s highest-paid mayor at $323,454 per year including $34,648 in superannuation.

Former CEO Col Jensen also earned three times as much as Deputy Mayor Krista Adams despite her workload helping manage a $4bn budget.

QIC boss Kylie Rampa and other staff shared in $91m in performance and retention payments, on top of her $986,000 pay packet. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian

Salaries were based on Queensland’s Chief Executive Remuneration Framework, which listed bands for the top tiers of executives.

Packages included employer superannuation contributions, executive vehicle allowances and annual leave loading.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) said an “independent work value assessment” had been conducted for each role by Mercer Consulting to determine the appropriate band each director-general and commissioner was assigned to under the framework.

“Queensland uses the Chief Executive Remuneration Framework to recruit and retain the best possible public sector leaders,’’ a spokeswoman said.

Former Department of Premier and Cabinet director-general Mike Kaiser. DGs in that department were the highest-paid of all directors-general. Picture: LinkedIn

“The Queensland Public Sector Chief Executive Remuneration Framework was developed independently by Mercer in 2015, and there are six bands in the framework, each with its own remuneration range for the negotiation of successful applicants.

“Bands one to four are for chief executives of departments and larger statutory bodies.

“There are six remuneration bands available, which are negotiated at the time of appointment.

“Remuneration depends on a variety of factors, including the independently evaluated work value of the role, the skills and experience of the chief executive, and the responsibilities of the department to deliver the government’s priorities.’’

Top of the pile among directors-general was former Department of Premier and Cabinet director-general Mike Kaiser, who was given his marching orders after the LNP won the October election.

Appointed in December 2023, his total remuneration up to June 30, 2024, was $434,000.

He took over from Rachel Hunter, who stepped down last December after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk resigned.

Former Brisbane City Council CEO Colin Jensen earned twice as much as the Lord Mayor. Picture: Tara Croser

She walked off with a (standard) $339,000 six-month public service executive payout on top of her $363,000 total remuneration for the period from July 1 last year until December 15, 2023.

She earned $778,000 in the 22/23 financial year.

Former Under Treasurer Michael Carey came in second among the DGS with a total take-home pay packet of $758,000, followed by Queensland Health boss Michael Walsh ($753,000),former Public Service Commissioner David Mackie ($734,000) and Education Queensland DG Michael De’Ath ($730,000).

The pay packets have risen substantially since last year when it was revealed the then highest-paid executive, federal Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy, was pulling a hefty $916,120.

Originally published as The eye-watering cash Qld’s top bureaucrats are pocketing