Regional Victoria council salaries: How much local mayors, CEOs are paid

Top executives at regional Victorian councils are making up to $440,000, while some mayors are paid more than $100,000. See how your council stacks up.

The Weekly Times has compiled a list of mayors and CEO salaries in regional Victoria. Pictured are the highest paid mayors; Greater Geelong’s Stephanie Asher, Ballarat’s Daniel Moloney and Greater Bendigo’s Jennifer Alden.

Top executives at regional Victorian councils are raking in on average about $280,000 a year – with some making more than $350,000.

Data compiled by The Weekly Times has found chief executive salaries range from $200,000 to $440,000 across 47 regional councils.

When The Weekly Times questioned councils about their salaries only 14 were willing to disclose the exact figure their chief executive is paid, while four councils – Greater Shepparton, Wodonga, Indigo and Northern Grampians – claimed the salary was “confidential”.

However, The Weekly Times was able to obtain salary bands for key management positions in annual reports.

The highest paid chief executive outside Melbourne is Martin Cutter at the City of Greater Geelong, earning more than $430,000 a year.

However, Mr Cutter requested a freeze on his salary in July last year for 12 months in recognition of the financial impact of Covid-19. All councillors, including the mayor, followed his lead.

Councils, which are funded by ratepayers, other charges and government grants, determine chief executive salaries and mayor allowances – up to the maximum mayoral allowance for their council set by the Local Government Minister ($62,884, $81,204 or $100,434).

A spokeswoman for Local Government Minister Shaun Leane said chief executive salary details do not need to be disclosed, but banding is a matter of public record under the Local Government Act and recorded in annual reports.

All of the 47 councils disclosed what their mayors were paid, with all regional mayors bar eight being paid their maximum allowance.

The mayor of Moyne Shire Council, with less than 20,000 residents, is paid the same ($84,204) as the mayor of Latrobe City Council, with a population of more than 75,000.

The mayor of Hindmarsh Shire Council, with less than 6000 residents, is paid the same ($62,884) as the mayor of Indigo Shire Council, with a population of more than 16,000.

The highest paid mayors are Greater Geelong’s Stephanie Asher, Ballarat’s Daniel Moloney and Greater Bendigo’s Jennifer Alden – all receiving $100,434.

The mayor paid the lowest allowance in regional Victoria is Bruce Meyer at West Wimmera Shire Council ($46,120), which has a population of about 4000.

The second and third lowest are Borough of Queenscliffe mayor Ross Ebbells ($59,203) and Alpine Shire Council mayor John Forsyth ($59,889), respectively.

Mr Forsyth said the mayoral allowances had been below the maximum allowed for the past 12 years at his council.

Mayors are also entitled to 9.5 per cent superannuation (10 per cent from July), to claim necessary out-of-pocket expenses and a remote area travel allowance of $40 a day, up to $5000 a year, when travelling more than 50km from home for official duties.

MAYORAL ALLOWANCES AND CEO REMUNERATION

City of Greater Geelong

Population: 258,934

Mayor Stephanie Asher: $100,434 (fixed by Local Government Minister)

CEO: $430,000 – $439,999*

(Covid-19 pay freeze, July 2020 to June 2021)

CATEGORY 3 (Mayors can be paid up to $100,434)

Ballarat City Council

Population: 109,505

Mayor Daniel Moloney: $100,434

CEO: $300,000 – $350,000**

Greater Bendigo City Council

Population: 118,093

Mayor Jennifer Alden: $100,434

CEO: $350,000 – $359,999*

CATEGORY 2 (Mayors can be paid up to $81,204)

Bass Coast Shire Council

Population: 36,320

Mayor Brett Tessari: $81,204

CEO: $327,000

Baw Baw Shire Council

Population: 53,396

Mayor Danny Goss: $81,204

CEO: $290,000 – $299,999*

Campaspe Shire Council

Population: 37,600

Mayor Chrissy Weller: $81,204

CEO: $400,000 – $409,999***

Colac Otway Shire Council

Population: 21,564

Mayor Kate Hanson: $81,204

CEO: $230,000 – $239,999*

East Gippsland Shire Council

Population: 47,316

Mayor Mendy Urie: $81,204

CEO: $280,000 – $290,000*

Glenelg Shire Council

Population: 19,811

Mayor Anita Rank: $81,204

CEO: $250,000

Golden Plains Shire Council

Population: 23,722

Mayor Helena Kirby: $72,268

CEO: $280,000 – $299,999*

Greater Shepparton City Council

Population: 66,498

Mayor Kim O’Keeffe: $81,204

CEO: $330,000 – $339,999*

Horsham Rural City Council

Population: 19,921

Mayor Robyn Gulline: $68,295

CEO: $260,000 – $269,999*

Latrobe City Council

Population: 75,611

Mayor Sharon Gibson: $81,204

CEO: $310,000 – $319,999*

Macedon Ranges Shire Council

Population: 50,257

Mayor Jennifer Anderson: $81,204

CEO: $330,000 – $339,000*

Mildura Rural City Council

Population: 55,777

Mayor Jason Modica: $81,204

CEO: $330,000

Mitchell Shire Council

Population: 47,237

Mayor Rhonda Sanderson: $81,204

CEO: $280,000 – $289,999* (had multiple CEOs during this time)

Moira Shire Council

Population: 29,925

Mayor Libro Mustica: $81,204

CEO: $300,000 – $309,999*

Moorabool Shire Council

Population: 35,049

Mayor Tom Sullivan: $78,051

CEO: $250,000 – $259,999*

Moyne Shire Council

Population: 16,693

Mayor Daniel Meade: $81,204

CEO: $270,000 – $279,999*

South Gippsland Shire Council

Population: 29,914

Under administration

Surf Coast Shire Council

Population: 33,456

Mayor Libby Stapleton: $81,204

CEO: $320,000 – $329,999* (currently long period of interim arrangements between CEOs)

Swan Hill Rural City Council

Population: 20,649

Mayor Bill Moar: $67,562

CEO: $256,845

Wangaratta Rural City Council

Population: 29,197

Mayor Dean Rees: $81,204

CEO: $280,000 – $299,000*

Warrnambool City Council

Population: 35,181

Mayor Vicki Jellie: $81,204

CEO: $350,000 – $359,999*

Wellington Shire Council

Population: 44,380

Mayor Garry Stephens: $81,204

CEO: $323,000

Wodonga City Council

Population: 42,083

Mayor Kevin Poulton: $81,204

CEO: $340,000 – $349,000*

CATEGORY 1 (Mayors can be paid up to $62,884)

Alpine Shire Council

Population: 12,814

Mayor John Forsyth: $59,889

CEO: $230,000 – $239,999*

Ararat City Council

Population: 11,845

Mayor Jo Armstrong: $62,884

CEO: $240,000 – $249,999**

Benalla Rural City Council

Population: 14,037

Mayor Danny Claridge: $62,884

CEO: $220,000 – $229,999*

Borough of Queenscliffe

Population: 2940

Mayor Ross Ebbels: $59,203

CEO: $244,566

Buloke Shire Council

Population: 6124

Mayor Daryl Warren: $62,884

CEO: $220,000 – $229,999*

Central Goldfields Shire Council

Population: 12,995

Mayor Chris Meddows-Taylor: $62,884

CEO: $240,000 – $249,999*

Corangamite Shire Council

Population: 16,020

Mayor Ruth Gstrein: $62,884

CEO: $250,000 – $259,999*

Gannawarra Shire Council

Population: 10,549

Mayor Charlie Gillingham: $62,884

CEO: $220,000 – $239,999*

Hepburn Shire Council

Population: 15,330

Mayor Lesley Hewitt: $62,884

CEO: $270,000

Hindmarsh Shire Council

Population: 5721

Mayor Ron Ismay: $62,884

CEO: $240,000 (contract starting September)

Indigo Shire Council

Population: 16,220

Mayor Jenny O’Connor: $62,884

CEO: >$190,000*

Loddon Shire Council

Population: 7513

Mayor Neil Beattie: $62,884

CEO: $240,000

Mansfield Shire Council

Population: 9176

Mayor Mark Holcombe: $62,884

CEO: $255,000

Mount Alexander Shire Council

Population: 19,754

Mayor Tony Cordy: $62,884

CEO: $280,000 – $289,999*

Murrindindi Shire Council

Population: 14,570

Mayor Sandice McAulay: $62,884

CEO: $260,000 – $269,999*

Northern Grampians Shire Council

Population: 11,471

Mayor Murray Emerson: $62,884

CEO: $200,000 – $209,999*

Pyrenees Shire Council

Population: 7301

Mayor Damian Ferrari: $62,884

CEO: $224,676

Southern Grampians Shire Council

Population: 15,944

Mayor Bruach Colliton: $62,884

CEO: $280,000 – $289,999*

Strathbogie Shire Council

Population: 10,650

Mayor Chris Raeburn: $62,884

CEO: $235,000

Towong Shire Council

Population: 5985

Mayor David Wortmann: $62,743

CEO: $260,000 – $269,000*

West Wimmera Shire Council

Population: 4000

Mayor Bruce Meyer: $46,120

CEO: $219,302

Yarriambiack Shire Council

Population: 6658

Mayor Graeme Massey: $62,884

CEO: $225,000

*Range of the highest paid key management personnel listed in 2019-20 annual report. CEOs exact remuneration not provided to The Weekly Times upon request.

**Range as will appear in 2020-21 annual report.

***The combined totals of two individuals who filled the CEO role during the reporting period, including a period of overlapping.

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