With nominations for the November Local Government election set to open on Tuesday 23 August current and prospective councillors are having to decide whether to put their name forward for election.

But what do our local councillors get paid?

The annual allowances paid to councillors are set by the Renumeration Tribunal and depend on which group their council belongs to.

The City of Onkparinga is designated as a '1A' council and their elected members get the highest allowance rate for South Australia (outside of the City of Adelaide). 

Mayors get paid four times the rate of a councillor and Deputy Mayors get an additional 25% on top of the base councillor's rate (these allowances do not include other payments for travel time and reimbursements councillors may also be eligible to receive).

Base councillor annual allowances

(Information from the LGA website showing the rates after adjustment in November 2021 made inline with the consumer price index)

Onkaparinga – Group 1A Council

$25 083

Alexandrina – Group 2 Council

$18 553

Victor Harbor – Group 3 Council

$14 932

Kangaroo Island – Group 4 Council

$10 635

The City of Victor Harbor recently requested that the Renumeration Tribunal reclassify it as a Group 2 council.

This would have increased the amount paid to its elected members but the Renumeration Tribunal determined in July that it should remain a Group 3 council.