Chapter 4: Total Remuneration Package

Total Remuneration Package (TRP) covers Base Salary plus benefits. It excludes bonuses and shift and overtime payments, which are included in Total Reward (TR).

Benefits include:

  • employer superannuation contribution
  • motor vehicle cost/Executive Vehicle Scheme or cash in lieu of motor vehicle
  • motor vehicle parking
  • any other benefits or supplementary benefits

Superannuation is the main component captured in TRP above Base Salary.

The median increase across all classifications was 2.4% from 2017 to 2018 (Table 4.1). This ranged from 0.1% at the APS 2 classification, to 2.0% at the APS 4 and SES 2 classifications.

The weighted TRP median was 1.5% for both non-SES and 1.3% for SES classification groups in 2018.

Table 4.1 Total Remuneration Package by classification, 2017 and 2018
 

P5

Q1

Median

%change

Q3

P95

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

  

2017

2018

2017

2018

Grad.

$67,175

$68,329

$69,347

$70,734

$72,353

$72,861

0.7%

$75,163

$76,667

$81,801

$80,008

APS 1

$46,527

$46,940

$51,367

$52,256

$56,274

$57,076

1.4%

$58,728

$59,141

$62,087

$63,207

APS 2

$59,215

$53,533

$62,124

$62,148

$65,488

$65,558

0.1%

$67,982

$69,150

$71,219

$72,232

APS 3

$66,258

$67,351

$69,551

$71,769

$73,206

$74,576

1.9%

$76,110

$77,560

$80,199

$82,161

APS 4

$74,280

$75,767

$79,430

$81,218

$82,299

$83,946

2.0%

$84,818

$86,650

$87,508

$89,186

APS 5

$82,289

$83,879

$86,992

$88,250

$89,679

$91,254

1.8%

$92,417

$94,120

$96,036

$97,543

APS 6

$92,983

$94,079

$101,530

$102,733

$106,045

$107,136

1.0%

$109,291

$110,972

$113,755

$115,622

EL 1

$118,548

$119,889

$127,106

$128,782

$131,713

$133,609

1.4%

$134,398

$136,942

$142,196

$144,397

EL 2

$143,999

$145,115

$158,139

$160,249

$164,067

$166,891

1.7%

$170,563

$173,200

$189,330

$194,527

SES1

$217,874

$219,630

$233,392

$238,094

$247,732

$251,141

1.4%

$259,256

$264,577

$276,397

$283,231

SES2

$277,674

$280,842

$299,104

$302,188

$310,641

$316,953

2.0%

$328,008

$336,104

$358,001

$371,517

SES3

$364,075

$371,061

$392,202

$401,940

$420,420

$426,771

1.5%

$433,951

$447,816

$481,554

$509,673

ALL

$69,525

$71,460

$82,299

$83,946

$95,286

$97,586

2.4%

$124,474

$127,504

$167,759

$171,021

Figure 4.1 presents a comparison of median TRP by classification in 2014 and 2018. The increases shown range from 3.1% and 3.4% for APS 2 and 3 classifications and up to 9.7% for SES 3.

Figure 4.1 Median Total Remuneration Package by classification, 2014 and 2018

Figure 4.2 shows that there was generally consistent movement of TRP ranges for each classification other than Graduates and APS 2 from 2017 to 2018.

The changes in TRP ranges build on those observed for Base Salary in Chapter 3. These changes include average increases of 2.o% for non-SES classifications based on continuing enterprise agreements. Note that the increases in ranges will become larger moving from Base Salary to TRP to TR because each of these components builds upon the others.

Figure 4.2 Total Remuneration Package range by classification, 2017 and 2018

Superannuation

Employer superannuation contribution is the main component captured in TRP after Base Salary.

APS employee superannuation fund membership has been reported by four categories:

  • Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan (PSSAP)
  • Public Sector Superannuation Scheme (PSS)
  • Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS); and
  • ‘Other’

The PSSAP is the default fund for employees engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 who do not nominate an alternative complying superannuation fund or valid retirement savings account. The employer contribution rate for the PSSAP is 15.4% of superannuation salary.

The PSS and CSS funds were closed to new entrants on 1 July 2005 and 1 July 1990 respectively.

Figure 4.3 shows that the PSSAP has the highest membership up to the APS 6 level. This is consistent with 15.4% representing the median employer superannuation contribution rate up to and including APS 6 (Appendices: Table 7, page 35). PSS membership becomes more common for employees at or above EL 1 classification. This is consistent with the typical longer length of service for these individuals making them eligible for enrolment in the PSS prior to its closure.

Figure 4.3 Proportion of employees in super fund by classification, 2018

Figure 4.4 shows that overall, PSS and CSS membership has continued to decline as members leave the APS, while both the PSSAP membership and ‘Other’ continued to increase.

The increased representation of ‘Other’ in 2018 could be linked to increased use of Self-Managed Super Funds or other existing funds employees have retained from prior employment.

Figure 4.4 Headcount of employees in super fund (percentage of total)

Last updated
Was this page helpful?