Top SA public servant salaries revealed
The state’s highest-ranking public officials rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Find out which bureaucrat earns the most.
South Australia’s most senior public officials are earning handsome six-figure salaries, according to official documents, with one bureaucrat’s salary approaching $1 million a year.
According to the Remuneration Tribunal documents for public service executives, Rick Persse, who is Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, has a hefty base salary and allowance of $497,188, but was salary sacrificing $200,000 in superannuation, bringing his total package to $786,347.
As for the new Agent-General for South Australia, Leon Bignell, an impressive $728,000 was allocated for his salary and allowances in the 2026-27 State Budget.
It was $346,000 more than what the Agent-General was awarded in the 2019-20 budget when Bill Muirhead was the Agent-General.
According to other remuneration documents, as of September 2025, South Australia’s Chief Justice is on a handsome base salary and allowances of $593,640.
In the latest budget, $891,000 was set aside for salaries and allowances of the Chief Justice, compared to the $483,000 in the 2019-20 budget.
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SA’s current Chief Justice, Laura Stein, was appointed in January 2026 following the retirement of Chris Kourakis in February this year.
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, who yesterday faced a motion of no confidence from the police union, has a base salary plus allowances of $546,756 as of April 1, 2026.
His employer superannuation is $121,902, bringing his total remuneration package to $686,658, according to the remuneration documents.
A total of $677,000 was set aside for the Police Commissioner’s salaries and allowances in the 2026-27 State Budget, compared to $483,000 in the 2019-20 budget.
Robyn Lawrence, who is Chief Executive for Health and Wellbeing, is on a base salary of $451,587, according to the remuneration documents, but is salary sacrificing $193,533. Her total remuneration package is $722,534.
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Meanwhile, Paul Martyn, who is Chief Executive of the Department for Energy and Mining, is on a base salary and allowances of $560,000, according to the remuneration documents, while his total package is $636,291.
Department of Treasury and Finance Chief Executive Tammie Pribanic has a base salary and allowances of $613,595, according to the remuneration documents, while her total remuneration package value is $692,691.
Keith McNeil, who is Commissioner for the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, has a base salary and allowance of $577,601, with a total remuneration package value of $644,521.
While his exact salary was not known, South Australia’s Solicitor-General Mike Wait had $838,000 in the latest budget for salaries and allowances.
According to a remuneration document for 2026, Auditor-General Andrew Blaskett raked in a handsome $502,759 plus superannuation, while the State Coroner David Whittle is on $420,790.
Popular Governor Frances Adamson’s salary package for 2026 is $521,720 plus superannuation, according to a separate remuneration document, with a total of $560,000 set aside for her salary and allowances in the 2026-27 State Budget.
Electoral Commissioner Mick Sherry, who recently resigned following a beleaguered 2026 State Election, was on $325,000, according to the tribunal, while Ombudsman Emily Strickland had $525,000 awarded to her for her salary and allowances in the budget.
Some $28,874,000 million was set aside for judges and masters in this year’s budget compared to $28,227,000 last year, while a separate $4,044,000 went towards judges in the Industrial Relations Court and Commission.
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