‘Obscene’: Uni boss’s extraordinary multimillion-dollar payday revealed
The multimillion-dollar pay packet of a former SA university chief revealed in a new report has been labelled “obscene”, sparking new calls to limit vice chancellor salaries. See how much he earnt.
The former University of South Australia Vice Chancellor David Lloyd received a payout of $1.128 million following the merger of the universities of South Australia and Adelaide, an auditor general’s report reveals, bringing his total remuneration for the single year of 2025 to $3.112 million.
According to the independent auditor’s report for the University of South Australia tabled in State Parliament last week, Lloyd earnt a base salary of $1.015 million for 2025 plus superannuation of $209,000 and performance pay and long service leave of $760,000.
SA Greens leader Robert Simms said the high pay package for Lloyd, who began working as a principal at BlueRange Advisory in May 2026, “certainly doesn’t” pass the pub test, labelling the amount “obscene”.
Two other auditors’ reports were also tabled in parliament on June 25 relating to the former University of Adelaide and Flinders University, but those reports did not list the total remuneration of their vice-chancellors.
What those reports did record was that one member of the University Council and Senior management at the University of Adelaide had a remuneration of between $1,345,000 to 1,359,999 in 2025, while at Flinders University, there was one person in the $1,480,000 to $1,489,999 bracket.
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Meanwhile, at the newly merged Adelaide University, Vice-Chancellor Professor Nicola Phillips has a total fixed remuneration of $963,200, with a base salary of $860,000.
An Adelaide University spokesperson said that as the pay package for the former co-Vice Chancellors was determined by their respective foundation university councils, Adelaide University “is therefore unable to provide insight into these arrangements”.
“In the interests of transparency, the University of South Australia accounts for 2026 will document a further $1.451 million in remuneration for the former Vice Chancellor,” he said.
“Adelaide University has already articulated its commitment to transparency regarding remuneration of its current Vice Chancellor and has shared details of the Vice Chancellor’s base salary, superannuation and contractual performance incentives.”
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In September 2025, Simms introduced the Statutes Amendment (Universities – Caps of Vice Chancellor Salaries) Bill, which was supported by Tammy Franks and Sarah Game and would have limited vice chancellors’ salaries to that of the Premier, who earns $460,000 a year.
“It does seem crazy that a vice chancellor of a university could be earning more than the premier of our state,” Simms said.
Asked if the hard work of university vice-chancellors makes the salaries justifiable, Simms said, “There are a lot of people in our community that work incredibly hard and don’t get anywhere near that kind of remuneration”.
“I think our universities are public institutions and I find that kind of a package really obscene, particularly at a time when so many people are struggling,” he said.
“I think it shows that our universities are becoming out of step with the community – these universities are being run like giant corporations, and the vice chancellors are being treated like multinational CEOs, and I don’t think that’s what the community wants to see.
“I think a lot of people working in the university sector would be a bit astounded by that, given it seems like the merger has been a bit of a shit show on the ground.”
Flinders University declined to comment.
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