High salary needed: mayor

A $295,000 Salary package for the City of Greater Dandenong’s new chief executive was the only way the city would lure top-notch applicants to the job, according to the mayor.
City mayor Youhorn Chea this week defended CEO John Bennie’s salary package after it was revealed he was earning $294,289 – significantly more than CEOs at neighbouring councils including Kingston and Monash.
Cr Chea said former CEO Carl Wulff, who vacated the job in mid-2006, was being paid a package only slightly lower than Mr Bennie’s.
He also said during the application process, the higher salary package offered potential applicants in other CEO posts the incentive to move to Greater Dandenong.
“About $250,000 is the average salary of most (council) CEOs,” Cr Chea said.
“If we wanted to hire someone good, we had to pay higher than that price or no-one would ever come.”