Optus CEO salary: how the award minimums compare with executive pay

Optus CEO salary and the award pay floor

When readers search for "optus ceo salary", they often want to understand how executive pay compares with the legal minimums that apply to the company's workforce. This guide separates the award rates that set the pay floor for Optus employees from the compensation reported for senior leaders.

The Optus Award 2015: the legal minimum

Optus is covered by its own enterprise award, the Optus Award 2015 (MA000133), which the Fair Work Commission consolidated as at 1 July 2026 . This award sets minimum annual salaries for full-time adult employees across three streams:

• Engineering and Technical Services: Range 6 ($51,025) to Range 14 ($97,194). Ranges 12 to 14 are subject to partial exemption.
• Customer Service and General Support: Range 6 ($51,025) to Range 13 ($91,102). Ranges 11 to 13 are subject to partial exemption.
• Commission-based Sales: Range 10 ($65,971) to Range 13 ($91,102). On Target Earnings must be at least 50% of the annual rate.

These rates include an amount in lieu of annual leave loading. Superannuation is an employer payment on top – the Superannuation Guarantee requires 12% of ordinary time earnings.

Casual, part-time, and junior rates

Casual employees receive a 25% loading on the base rate. Part-time employees are paid 1/38th of the weekly equivalent on a pro-rata basis. Youth rates apply: employees aged 17 or under receive 60% of the relevant adult salary, 18-year-olds 70%, 19-year-olds 80%, and 20-year-olds 90%.

How the CEO's pay compares

Optus does not publish a single CEO salary figure. According to the Australian Financial Review, total compensation for key management personnel (KMP) jumped 23% to $18.9 million in the year to March 2025 . The Guardian reported that Optus is among companies that pay millions to executives while paying no company tax in Australia .

That $18.9 million pool covers several executives. Even if the CEO's share is half, it would be around $9.5 million – about 97 times the highest award minimum of $97,194. The lowest award rate of $51,025 is about 186 times smaller.

Award vs. enterprise agreements

The Optus Award is a minimum safety net. Enterprise agreements or individual contracts can set higher rates. Many Optus employees are likely covered by enterprise agreements that exceed the award. The award does not cover employees excluded from award coverage by the Fair Work Act, such as those earning above the high-income threshold (currently $175,000) who are award-free.

National minimum wage context

For award-free employees, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. The Optus Award rates are higher than the national minimum for most classifications. For example, Range 6 ($51,025) equates to about $25.83 per hour (based on 38 hours, 52 weeks), which is slightly below the national minimum, but note that the award rate includes leave loading and is a minimum annual salary, not an hourly rate. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that modern award rates cannot fall below the national minimum.

Key takeaways

• The Optus Award sets minimums from $51,025 to $97,194 per year.
• CEO pay is not disclosed individually but KMP compensation totalled $18.9 million.
• Superannuation is paid on top of all salaries.
• Award rates are a floor; enterprise agreements can require more.

For more detail, see Which minimum wage applies and Rate tables.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.