Where the Governor-General's salary sits against the Australian full-time average
The Governor-General's salary is set by the Governor-General Act 1974 at $709,017 per year. This is a fixed amount determined by legislation and is not linked to enterprise agreements or performance reviews. To understand how this compares to what most Australians earn, we can look at the national full-time average, medians, and minimum wage.
The national full-time average
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year. For May 2026, full-time adult ordinary time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week, which works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplying by 52 weeks). This is the figure used as the line on this site. The Governor-General's salary is roughly 6.5 times that average.
Men's full-time average earnings are higher at about $113,412 per year, while women's are about $100,594. Even compared to the highest state average – the Australian Capital Territory at about $119,090 – the Governor-General's salary is still nearly six times larger.
Medians tell a different story
Averages can be pulled up by high earners. The ABS Employee Earnings survey (August 2025) gives a clearer picture of the typical worker. The full-time median is about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median (including part-time and casual) is about $74,100. The Governor-General's salary is about 7.8 times the full-time median and 9.6 times the all-employees median.
The minimum wage benchmark
From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week on a 38-hour week, which comes to about $52,255 per year. Award minimums rose by 4.75% at the same time. The Governor-General earns about 13.6 times the annual minimum wage.
How the salary is set
The Governor-General's salary is not determined by the Remuneration Tribunal or through enterprise bargaining. It is prescribed directly by the Governor-General Act 1974. The Act also provides for an allowance after leaving office – 60% of the salary of the Chief Justice of the High Court at that time. Staff of the Governor-General, including the Official Secretary, are covered by a separate enterprise agreement (the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General Enterprise Agreement 2025–28), which provides salary increases of 4.0% from January 2025, 3.8% from January 2026, and 3.4% from January 2027. Those staff salaries are set within classification ranges and are much lower than the Governor-General's.
State and territory comparisons
Full-time average earnings vary across Australia. The highest is the ACT at about $119,090, followed by Western Australia at about $115,825. The lowest is Tasmania at about $96,008. Even the highest state average is less than one-sixth of the Governor-General's salary. Place a salary on the line to see how any figure compares, or explore States and territories for more detail.
Tax on the Governor-General's salary
Like all Australian residents, the Governor-General pays income tax and the Medicare levy. For 2026–27, the tax rates are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
Plus a 2% Medicare levy (with possible reductions for low-income earners). At $709,017, the Governor-General is in the top marginal bracket, so most of the salary is taxed at 45% plus Medicare. Even after tax, the after-tax income is still many times the average.
Why this matters for the line
This site uses the national full-time average as its reference line. The Governor-General's salary sits far above that line, illustrating how a single legislated figure can dwarf typical earnings. It also highlights the gap between the highest public office and the average worker. For context, the full-time median is below the average, meaning most full-time workers earn less than $108,352. The Governor-General earns more than six times that median.
Summary
The Governor-General's salary of $709,017 per year is set by law and is substantially higher than any common benchmark:
- 6.5 times the national full-time average ($108,352)
- 7.8 times the full-time median ($90,532)
- 9.6 times the all-employees median ($74,100)
- 13.6 times the national minimum wage ($52,255)
It is also higher than the average earnings in every state and territory, including the ACT. The figure is fixed and does not change with economic conditions, unlike the average which is updated twice a year by the ABS. For more on how salaries are measured, see How the figures are set or About this site.