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Chief executives across Perth’s local governments took home on average more than $357,000 a year – and more than a quarter of the bosses were paid more than WA Premier Roger Cook.
Seven out of 29 councils across the Perth metropolitan area took home more than $410,000 with Cook bringing home $406,325 last year and senior ministers being paid $316,955.
The City of Perth – whose council was put on notice in May by Local Government Inspector Tony Brown for their dysfunctional behaviour – paid their chief executive Michelle Reynolds $439,682 in 2024/25.
This earns Reynolds the position as the highest-paid council boss in Perth.
Even the local government inspector – whose job is to improve the accountability, transparency, and decision-making of local governments across WA – is paid almost 40 per cent less than Reynolds, bringing in $260,667.
The City of Belmont’s chief executive John Christie was paid $422,771, while City of Gosnells boss Ian Cowie was paid only $1 less at $422,770.
Four more council chief executives whose pay packets eclipsed that of the premier were Daniel Simms from the City of Cockburn ($421,268), followed closely by Bill Parker at the City of Wanneroo ($417,544), and Stephen Cain from the City of Swan ($417,430).
But not all local governments dished out a $400,000 figure. In the well-heeled Town of East Fremantle, chief executive Jonathan Throssell earned the lowest yearly salary of $221,685.
Throssell was closely followed by the Shire of Peppermint Grove council boss Don Burnett, who earned $224,221 a year.
In Western Australia, council chief executive salaries are decided by individual local governments within four remuneration bands set by the state’s Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.
They are responsible for the council’s day-to-day operations, implementing the council’s strategic plans and objectives, the delivery of services and infrastructure, managing council staff and overseeing the financial management of the council.
The maximum a chief executive in the SAT’s band four can be paid is $258,762, meanwhile a council boss in band one could earn $455,071.
All the chief executives who are paid more than Cook are in band one, while the Town of East Fremantle’s is in band three with a possible top salary maximum of $310,883.
One of the top regional councils who paid their chief executive the most in 2024-25 was the Shire of Derby who paid Tamara Clarkson $417,000.
Town of Port Hedland council boss Mark Dacombe was also one of the top regional earners, with an annual salary of $367,950.
Both regional councils faced scrutiny over the year, with commissioners appointed to each following dysfunctional behaviour from elected members.
But how do the salaries compare to other government officials?
Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti earned $346,173 in the 2024/25 year, while fellow portfolio ministers pocketed $316,955.
With a salary of over half a million dollars, Chief Health Officer Clare Huppatz brought home $577,612, while Chief Psychiatrist Nathan Gibson earned $569,620.
But it is Solicitor-General Jean Shaw who has the highest salary package of the bunch, bringing home $698,761 and trumping Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has a salary of $622,071.
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