New pay changes to Whittlesea council

Key points

• Allowances for Whittlesea's mayor, councillors and deputy mayor have changed from 1 July 2026. The mayor's allowance rose from $146,000 to more than $157,000, and councillors' allowances increased from almost $42,000 to $49,000.
• The deputy mayor's allowance fell to just over $64,000, down from just over $73,000. It is now calculated as a loading on the base councillor allowance.
• A tribunal decided this method better reflects the deputy mayor's extra duties compared with a councillor's, while recognising those duties are more limited than the mayor's. A transitional arrangement means the reduced rate takes effect after the November mayoral election.