Do retired prime ministers get a salary?

No, they do not receive a salary. Instead, they receive a superannuation pension and various allowances for office, travel, and staff, as set out in the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017 and the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Act 1948 (for those who served before June 1978).

How much do former prime ministers receive in total?

Total expenses for the seven living former prime ministers over the past 12 months exceeded $1.8 million, according to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority. This includes office facilities, travel, and car costs. Individual amounts vary based on length of service and current needs.

Are former prime ministers covered by the national minimum wage?

No. The national minimum wage set by the Fair Work Commission applies to employees covered by the national workplace relations system. Former prime ministers are not employees; their entitlements are determined by specific legislation and determinations, not by modern awards or the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Retired Prime Minister Salary Australia: Understanding Post-Service Entitlements

Former prime ministers do not receive a salary after leaving office; instead, they are entitled to a superannuation pension, travel, office facilities, and staff under the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017 and the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Act 1948 (for pre-1978 service). These entitlements are not subject to the national minimum wage or modern awards.

Retired Prime Minister Salary Australia: What the Search Really Means

When you search for "retired prime minister salary australia", you might expect a single figure like the national minimum wage. However, former prime ministers do not receive a salary after leaving office. Instead, they are entitled to a package of post-service benefits set by Commonwealth law. This article explains what those entitlements are, how they compare with the national minimum wage, and why the two are not directly comparable.

No Salary, But Statutory Entitlements

A former prime minister’s financial support comes from two main sources: superannuation and ongoing allowances. The superannuation arrangements differ depending on when the person served. For those who held office before 12 June 1978 and served at least two years, the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Act 1948 provides a retiring allowance of between $4,000 and $6,000 per year (see ). However, this scheme does not apply to anyone who first became Prime Minister on or after that date. Modern former prime ministers are covered by the Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004, which provides a defined-benefit pension based on their parliamentary service.

Beyond superannuation, the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017 (PBR Act) allows the Prime Minister to determine that the Commonwealth must provide goods, services, premises, equipment, or facilities to a former prime minister, their spouse, or dependants. This determination, most recently updated in March 2024, includes personal staff, an equipped office, and car and air transport (see ).

How Does This Compare With the National Minimum Wage?

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult employee, with a casual loading of $33.05 per hour. These rates are set by the Fair Work Commission and enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman. They apply to national-system employees who are award-free and agreement-free. Former prime ministers are not employees in this sense; they are former officeholders receiving statutory benefits. Therefore, the national minimum wage does not apply to them.

If we were to compare the value of a former prime minister’s entitlements to a weekly wage, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) reports that over the past 12 months, the seven living former prime ministers claimed more than $1.8 million in travel and office expenses. That averages roughly $257,000 per person per year, or about $4,942 per week. However, this is not a salary; it is reimbursement for actual costs incurred in their ongoing public role. The superannuation pension is separate and not publicly reported in the same way.

Award Coverage vs Award-Free Rates

For most Australian workers, the question of which pay floor applies depends on whether a modern award covers their occupation. Award-free employees must receive at least the national minimum wage, with junior, apprentice, and supported wage rates applying in certain circumstances. Former prime ministers are not covered by any modern award or enterprise agreement. Their entitlements are set by legislation and a non-disallowable legislative instrument, not by the Fair Work Commission. This means there is no award rate to compare against; the only relevant benchmark is the legislative framework itself.

Superannuation as an Employer Payment

For employees, the superannuation guarantee requires employers to pay 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. For former prime ministers, superannuation is a defined-benefit pension funded by the Commonwealth, not a percentage of salary. The Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Scheme (PCSS) requires personal contributions from current parliamentarians, but the pension itself is paid from consolidated revenue. This is fundamentally different from the super guarantee system.

Key Takeaways

There is no single “retired prime minister salary”. Entitlements vary by length of service, date of service, and current needs.
The national minimum wage does not apply to former prime ministers.
Total annual expenses for former prime ministers (excluding superannuation) average around $257,000 per person, but this is not a wage.
For most workers, the relevant pay floor is the national minimum wage or a modern award rate. See Which minimum wage applies for guidance on your situation.
For more on how these figures are calculated, see How the figures work.

Conclusion

Searching for “retired prime minister salary australia” leads to a set of entitlements that are quite different from a typical employee’s salary. Former prime ministers receive a superannuation pension and ongoing allowances for office, travel, and staff, all set by law. While the dollar amounts can be substantial, they are not comparable to the national minimum wage or award rates that apply to most Australian workers.

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