Mayors and councillors are entitled to receive an allowance while performing their duty as an elected official. The Victorian Government sets the upper and lower levels for allowances paid to councillors. The exception to this is the Melbourne City Council and Greater Geelong City Council whose allowances are separately fixed.
Councils are required to review allowance levels by 30 June in the year following a general election and the allowance level determined remains in effect for the full term of the council.
Allowances levels are subject to annual automatic adjustments that are announced in the Victoria Government Gazette by the Minister for Local Government. A Council can only undertake a further review of its allowance level during its term if:
Councils are divided into three categories based on the income and population of each Council.
The Minister for Local Government has approved an adjustment factor increase of 2.0% to the below Mayoral and Councillor allowances, effective 1 December 2019, under section 73B(4) of the Local Government Act 1989.
Category 1 |
Category 2 |
Category 3 |
Current Range: Councillors $8,833-$21,049 Mayor up to $62,884 |
Current Range: Councillors $10,914-$26,245 Mayor up to $81,204 |
Current Range: Councillors $13,123-$31,444 Mayor up to $100,434 |
Alpine Shire Council Ararat Rural City Council Benalla Rural City Council Borough of Queenscliffe Buloke Shire Council Central Goldfields Shire Council Corangamite Shire Council Gannawarra Shire Council Hepburn Shire Council Hindmarsh Shire Council Indigo Shire Council Loddon Shire Council Mansfield Shire Council Mount Alexander Shire Council Murrindindi Shire Council Northern Grampians Shire Council Pyrenees Shire Council Southern Grampians Shire Council Strathbogie Shire Council Towong Shire Council West Wimmera Shire Council Yarriambiack Shire Council |
Bass Coast Shire Council Baw Baw Shire Council Bayside City Council
 Campaspe Shire Council Colac Otway Shire Council East Gippsland Shire Council Glenelg Shire Council Golden Plains Shire Council Greater Shepparton City Council Hobsons Bay City Council Horsham Rural City Council Latrobe City Council Macedon Ranges Shire Council Maribyrnong City Council Maroondah City Council Mildura Rural City Council Mitchell Shire Council Moira Shire Council Moorabool Shire Council Moyne Shire Council Nillumbik Shire Council South Gippsland Shire Council Surf Coast Shire Council Swan Hill Rural City Council Wangaratta Rural City Council Warrnambool City Council Wellington Shire Council Wodonga City Council Yarra City Council |
Ballarat City Council Banyule City Council Boroondara City Council Brimbank City Council Cardinia Shire Council Casey City Council Darebin City Council Glen Eira City Council Frankston City Council Greater Bendigo City Council Greater Dandenong City Council Hume City Council Kingston City Council Knox City Council Manningham City Council Melton Shire Council Monash City Council Moreland City Council Moonee Valley City Council Mornington Peninsula Shire Council Port Phillip City Council Stonnington City Council Whitehorse City Council Whittlesea City Council Wyndham City Council Yarra Ranges Shire Council |
Melbourne City Council | Greater Geelong City Council | |
---|---|---|
Lord Mayor/Mayor Deputy Lord Mayor/Mayor Councillors |
$200,870 $100,434 $47,165 |
$100,434 $31,444 Applicable range for Category 3 Councils |
Mayoral and councillor allowances are also subject to the addition of the equivalent of the superannuation guarantee (9.5%).
Councillors are entitled to be reimbursed for any necessary out-of-pocket expenses they incur while performing their duties as a councillor. Councils are also required to adopt and maintain a policy in relation to the reimbursement of councillor expenses.
Councils are also required to publish in their annual report the details of the expenses paid to councillors. There is a special provision in relation to travel that entitles a councillor who is travelling more than 50 kilometres from home for official duties to be paid an extra $40 for each day of their travel.