Chapter 4: Total Remuneration Package
Total Remuneration Package (TRP) covers Base Salary plus benefits. It excludes bonuses which are included in Total Reward (TR) and shift and overtime payments.
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 weighted TRP median increase from 2018 to 2019 was 1.5% including 1.5% for non-SES employees and 1.9% for SES.
The TRP median increase from 2018 to 2019 across all classifications was 3.0% (Table 4.1). For non-SES, this ranged from 0.1% at the APS 1 classification to 5.2% at the Graduate classification. The median increase for the SES 1 classification was 1.4% and 2.2% for both the SES 2 and SES 3 classifications.
|
P5 |
Q1 |
Median |
% change |
Q3 |
P95 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2018 |
2019 |
2018 |
2019 |
2018 |
2019 |
2018 |
2019 |
||
|
Grad. |
$68,329 |
$70,008 |
$70,734 |
$73,325 |
$72,861 |
$76,642 |
5.2% |
$76,667 |
$77,968 |
$80,008 |
$84,120 |
|
APS 1 |
$46,940 |
$50,162 |
$52,256 |
$52,290 |
$57,076 |
$57,136 |
0.1% |
$59,243 |
$59,430 |
$63,207 |
$63,930 |
|
APS 2 |
$53,533 |
$59,130 |
$62,148 |
$64,654 |
$65,558 |
$68,051 |
3.8% |
$69,179 |
$70,483 |
$72,232 |
$73,412 |
|
APS 3 |
$67,351 |
$66,881 |
$71,769 |
$73,029 |
$74,576 |
$76,525 |
2.6% |
$77,575 |
$79,115 |
$82,161 |
$82,796 |
|
APS 4 |
$75,767 |
$76,377 |
$81,218 |
$81,552 |
$83,946 |
$84,787 |
1.0% |
$86,650 |
$87,800 |
$89,186 |
$90,368 |
|
APS 5 |
$83,879 |
$84,719 |
$88,250 |
$88,850 |
$91,254 |
$92,151 |
1.0% |
$94,120 |
$95,422 |
$97,543 |
$98,816 |
|
APS 6 |
$94,079 |
$95,205 |
$102,733 |
$104,061 |
$107,136 |
$108,602 |
1.4% |
$111,136 |
$112,869 |
$115,622 |
$117,151 |
|
EL 1 |
$119,889 |
$120,279 |
$128,782 |
$130,530 |
$133,609 |
$135,598 |
1.5% |
$136,942 |
$138,440 |
$144,397 |
$146,189 |
|
EL 2 |
$145,115 |
$146,905 |
$160,249 |
$162,045 |
$166,891 |
$169,070 |
1.3% |
$173,200 |
$175,016 |
$194,527 |
$194,105 |
|
SES 1 |
$219,630 |
$225,639 |
$238,094 |
$243,619 |
$251,141 |
$254,739 |
1.4% |
$264,577 |
$268,657 |
$283,231 |
$288,835 |
|
SES 2 |
$280,842 |
$288,659 |
$302,188 |
$309,952 |
$316,953 |
$323,857 |
2.2% |
$336,104 |
$340,631 |
$371,517 |
$383,309 |
|
SES 3 |
$371,061 |
$365,472 |
$401,940 |
$416,163 |
$426,771 |
$436,338 |
2.2% |
$447,816 |
$455,390 |
$509,673 |
$501,585 |
|
All |
$71,460 |
$74,151 |
$83,946 |
$85,793 |
$97,586 |
$100,556 |
3.0% |
$127,504 |
$130,530 |
$171,021 |
$172,995 |
Figure 4.1 presents a comparison of median TRP by classification in 2015 and 2019. The increases shown range from 3.2% at the APS 1 classification up to 10.3 % and 10.4% for the SES 3 and Graduate classifications. For most classifications increases in TRP reflect a similar pattern of increases to Base Salary. At SES levels, increases in TRP are lower than those for Base Salary suggesting some repackaging of remuneration components (as outlined in Chapter 3).
Figure 4.1 Median Total Remuneration Package by classification, 2015 and 2019
Figure 4.2 shows the changes in TRP ranges across classifications.
The changes in TRP ranges build on those observed for Base Salary in Chapter 3. These changes reflect wage increases for non-SES employees under enterprise agreements, progressions within salary increments and changes in headcount.
For SES classifications movement in TRP was lower across almost all percentiles than movement in SES median Base Salary. The reduction at the 95th percentile for the SES 3 classification is likely to be the impact of a small number of long-serving staff ceasing employment at this level.
Figure 4.2 Total Remuneration Package range by classification, 2018 and 2019
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)
- ‘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 the APS 6 level, other than for the APS 2 classification (Appendix: Table 7). From 2018 to 2019 the APS 2 median rate increased from 15.4% to 18.5% while the APS 2 headcount decreased by 24%. The change in headcount may have increased the proportion of employees belonging to higher paying funds, which may explain the increase in the APS 2 median rate. PSS membership becomes more common for employees at or above the 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 to new members in 2005.
Figure 4.3 Proportion of employees in superannuation fund by classification, 2019
Figure 4.4 shows that overall, PSS and CSS membership has continued to decline as members leave the APS. While PSSAP remained stable from 2018 to 2019, ‘Other’ superannuation funds continued to increase.
The increased representation of ‘Other’ is especially evident at the Graduate classification and is a reflection of increased use of non-Commonwealth superannuation funds.
Figure 4.4 Headcount of employees in superannuation fund (percentage of total)
