Guide
MP salaries and allowances in Australia
Federal parliamentarians in Australia are paid under a structure set by the Remuneration Tribunal, an independent statutory body. Their total package is the sum of a base salary, any office-holder loading, an electorate allowance, and employer superannuation. This guide explains each component and how OpenBench.au models them.
Base salary
Every senator and member of the House of Representatives receives the same parliamentary base salary, currently set at $233,660 per year (Remuneration Tribunal Determination 2024). This figure moves with the Tribunal's periodic determinations and applies regardless of party, chamber, or state.
Ministerial and office-holder loadings
Ministers, the Speaker, the President of the Senate, party leaders, whips, and parliamentary secretaries receive an additional salary on top of the base, expressed as a percentage. Indicative loadings include:
- Prime Minister — 160% loading
- Deputy Prime Minister — 105%
- Cabinet Minister — 87.5%
- Other Minister — 75%
- Leader of the Opposition — 85%
- Speaker / President of the Senate — 75%
Electorate allowance
An electorate allowance compensates members for costs of representing constituents — between roughly $32,000 and $46,000 per year, depending on electorate size. Senators receive a flat state-based rate. The allowance is part of the remuneration package and is taxable; it is distinct from the work expenses IPEA reports.
Superannuation
Parliamentarians who entered after 9 October 2004 receive employer superannuation contributions at 15.4% of salary, paid into a fund of their choice. Members elected before that date may remain on the closed defined-benefit Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Scheme (PCSS), which pays a pension calculated from years of service and final salary.
Work expenses are separate
Salary and allowances are not the same as the quarterly work expenditure figures published by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA). Work expenses cover travel, office administration, staff-related costs and similar items, claimed against budgets and acquitted each quarter. OpenBench.au shows the IPEA-sourced expense figures alongside a modelled estimate of salary and superannuation so you can see the full cost of office.
How OpenBench.au models it
Because the Remuneration Tribunal's components are largely formulaic, we model each parliamentarian's salary and superannuation from public determinations and their recorded offices. Read the methodology for the exact sources and formulas, or browse the register to look up any current MP or senator.
Source figures: Remuneration Tribunal Determinations; Department of Finance; IPEA quarterly reports. OpenBench.au is independent and not affiliated with the Australian Government, the Remuneration Tribunal or IPEA.