The Australian Financial Review survey of CEO pay in the top 300 companies reports a 2 per cent for the nation's top bosses, but still at levels most Aussies only dream about.
Here are the leading 10.
10. Kevin Gallagher ($8.7 million)
Energy giant Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher rounds out the top 10, by bringing home $8.7 million in pay.
9. Trevor Croker ($9.2 million)
Trevor Croker, CEO of gaming giant Aristocrat Leisure, comes in ninth after chalking up a $9.2 million pay packet. (Christopher Pearce/SMH)
8. Steve Cain ($10.2 million)
Former Coles CEO Steve Cain made eighth place after taking home $10.2 million in pay. He had been in charge of the supermarket giant for five years until this year.
7. Ronald Delia ($10.8 million)
The CEO of packaging company Amcor, Ronald Delia, is in seventh spot, with a pay packet of $10.8 million.
6. Michael Henry ($11.1 million)
Michael Henry, the chief executive of mining agent BHP makes sixth place with reported pay of $11.1 million.
5. Alan Joyce ($11.9 million)
One of the most controversial figures in Australia's corporate history, former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce is in fifth spot. He chalked up reported annual pay of $11.9 million. But his actual payout including shares and options was $21.4 million.
Alan Joyce has retired as Qantas chief executive after 15 years in charge of the national carrier.
4. Greg Goodman ($14.2 million)
In fourth spot is Greg Goodman, of property developer Goodman Group, who raked in $14.2 million in statutory reported pay. His earnings were substantially boosted by an estimated $27.9 million in take-home pay, after accounting for the value of shares and options.
3. Ruslan Kogan ($17.2 million)
A big mover this year is Ruslan Kogan, founder of online retailer Kogan.comKogan.com to clinch third spot after he received $17.2 million in reported pay year.
2. Victor Herrero ($29.6 million)
Victor Herrero, the Spanish chief of jewellery chain Lovisa, comes second with a reported $29.6 million pay packet.
His $8.1 million pay rise was the year's biggest for a CEO.
1. Shemara Wikramanayake ($30 million)
Macquarie Group chief executive Shemara Wikramanayake was the highest paid Australian CEO for 2023, raking in more than $30 million, the survey by the Australian Financial Review found.
She was also the sole woman in the top 10 and only one of two females among the 50 highest-paid CEO.
And Wikramanayake wasn't the highest paid Macquarie Group executive. That honour went to the financial powerhouse's head of commodities and global markets Nick O'Kane, who earned $57.6 million.