Key Sections of an Australian Payslip

  1. 1

    Gross earnings

    The total amount you earned before any deductions. For salaried employees: your annual salary divided by the number of pay periods (weekly, fortnightly or monthly). For hourly employees: hours worked × hourly rate. May include separate lines for ordinary hours, overtime, allowances, bonuses, and leave loading.

  2. 2

    PAYG tax withheld

    Pay As You Go withholding — the income tax your employer deducts on behalf of the ATO each pay period. The amount depends on your earnings, your tax file number (TFN), and any tax offset claims you made on your Tax File Number Declaration form. This is not the final amount of tax you owe — your actual tax liability is calculated at year end when you lodge your tax return.

  3. 3

    Superannuation

    Your employer is required to contribute 11.5% of your ordinary time earnings to your super fund (rising to 12% by July 2025). This appears on your payslip but is paid directly to your super fund — it is not deducted from your take-home pay. Confirm the super is actually being paid by checking your super fund balance periodically.

  4. 4

    Other deductions

    May include: salary sacrifice amounts (pre-tax contributions to super or novated lease payments), union dues, income protection insurance premiums, health insurance, or employee share scheme contributions. All deductions are listed separately with their amounts.

  5. 5

    Net pay (take-home pay)

    Gross earnings minus PAYG tax minus any other deductions. This is the amount deposited into your bank account.

  6. 6

    YTD (Year to Date) figures

    Cumulative totals from the start of the financial year (1 July in Australia) to the current pay period. Your YTD gross and YTD tax figures are what you use when lodging your tax return, and should match your Payment Summary or Income Statement in myGov.

What to check on every payslipVerify the super rate (should be 11.5% of ordinary time earnings). Check ordinary hours and rates match your employment contract. Review any new deductions that appear unexpectedly. Keep payslips for at least 5 years — they are useful for tax returns, loan applications and disputes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common causes: variations in hours worked (for casual or part-time employees), overtime, allowances, leave taken (may alter pay), different number of calendar days in the pay period, or changes to your tax withholding. Check the gross earnings section to see exactly what changed compared to previous payslips.
Log into myGov and check the ATO’s super section — it shows super contributions reported to the ATO by your employer. You can also log into your super fund directly and check your transaction history. Super is required to be paid at least quarterly, though many employers pay each pay cycle. If super is missing, contact your employer first, then the ATO if it is not resolved.