While top bureaucrats are now earning one million a year, the tribunal that decides who gets what is doing its best to keep its decisions secret. Rex Patrick reports.
The head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet gets over $1 million a year, and the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Defence and Home Affairs are not far behind at $960,000. In fact, only two departmental heads earn less than $900,000.
These are extremely generous salaries and entitlements by international standards.
US Government Department Secretaries, who head up much larger agencies with much bigger budgets, get less than half those salaries. They are limited to US$250,000, around $400,000.