Australia's Top Bureaucrats Face Pay Review

0:00It's April 15th. Welcome in. This is Sydney News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Cory with the story. Australia's top bureaucrats are facing their first salary review in 15 years because their paychecks, hitting between 800,000 and $1 million a year, are rubbing folks the wrong way against community standards. The independent remuneration tribunal is launching a 14 month deep dive, worried that without credible and transparent pay, public trust could. Tank. They've noted how these gigs have grown more complex over decades, but it's time for a fresh look. Leading the pack, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet head Stephen Kennedy, pulls in $1 million, $35,690. Base, while Treasury's Ginny Wilkinson gets $1 million, $9,790, that's way above the prime minister's $622,050, plus perks like $24,000 settling in cash, and fat severance

1:02deals. Politicians are fired up. Senator Jackie Lamby pushed a bill to cap them at $4,30,000, but it got shot down. Independent David Poca calls it excessive, especially when seven secretaries topped 1 million last year, dwarfing average Aussie wages. The last check in 2012 deemed them underpaid, and now responses are due by early June with the full report dropping mid-2027. This review might reset expectations for fair play at the top.