I hear a base grade controller, with all penalties included (shift penalty etc), earns about $42K. [I heard it from my pay packet].
The managers are probably the ones on $130K (you remember the managers, the ones responsible for the mess?).
Now what is a young person to do? Get into this stressful, thankless, undervalued profession in Australia, or follow the path of another. A quick look at my schoolboy peers: Friend A, computer programmer, first year working $80K, now $125K. Friend B, pilot, first year $18K, now$245K. Friend C, banking, first year $50K, now $180K pkg. Friend D, management trainee, first year $35K, now $200K pkg. I got a lecture from one of the abovementioned about 'worth' which ran along the lines of 'how much you get paid is related to how much responsibility you have and how much your employer makes from your labour'. ASA makes $hiteloads off it's employees. And if you think things would be better if ATC's got paid less- you are sadly mistaken. ASA makes a lrage profit, and have you ever seen a government give up a tax?
The only one working the crap hours etc that a controller does, is the pilot (and he gets compensated).
Considering the calibre of the people ASA try to attract, then the way they treat them, ULM et al won't have to worry, there won't be any controllers in Aus in a few years.
Ask a PROFESSIONAL pilot if he prefers CTA or G?