A British expat living in Perth has ignited a heated online debate after posting a detailed breakdown of his weekly earnings as a traffic controller, with many viewers branding the figures "insane, overpaid nonsense" while others pointed out the work is far from glamorous.
Will Spires, who works in traffic management in Perth on a working holiday visa, shared the payslip breakdown in a TikTok video that has since attracted more than 380,000 views. The clip covers a Wednesday-to-Wednesday working week from August 17 to 23, and walks viewers through every component of his gross and net income for that period.
Breaking down the numbers
Spires explained that his base rate for working on smaller roads sits at $37.99 per hour, with rates climbing on highways and main roads. For the week in question, his gross pay came to $2,281.26, built up from several different pay components.
- Ordinary hours: 32 hours at approximately $38 per hour, earning $1,215.68
- Double time: 8.25 hours at $68.38 per hour, earning $564.14
- Time-and-a-half: 8 hours at $53.18 per hour, earning $425.44
- Meal allowances: Four hours at $19 per hour, totalling $76
After tax and superannuation were applied, Spires took home $1,950.26 for the week. He noted that his tax rate is lower than that of permanent residents because of his working holiday visa status. "I believe I'm on 15 per cent tax for a while and then it ramps up halfway through the year," he said in the video, adding that at the start of each financial year the 15 per cent bracket applies again. His employer also contributed $145.88 into his superannuation account.
Spires was quick to point out that not every week looks the same, telling viewers: "Some weeks are higher, some weeks are lower." He added that he considers anything above $1,500 per week a satisfactory result.
Online reaction: disbelief, envy and debate over fair pay
The video triggered a flood of responses, with opinions sharply divided. Some viewers were outraged, with one commenter calling it "insane, overpaid nonsense." Others were more measured, acknowledging the physical and psychological demands of standing beside live traffic for hours at a time. "It's actually amazing pay. But I'm sure it's tedious work, I don't think I could do it, I would go crazy," one person wrote.
Perhaps the most pointed comment came from someone who works in education: "My pay as a teacher is lower," the commenter noted, a remark that struck a nerve with many and reignited longstanding frustrations about wage gaps across different sectors in Australia.
The debate touches on broader questions about how skilled and unskilled labour is valued, particularly in industries like construction and traffic management that have seen sustained demand as Perth continues to grow rapidly across its suburban fringe. Higher penalty rates, allowances and shift loadings can significantly inflate weekly earnings in trades-adjacent roles, even when base rates appear modest on their own.
Context: how traffic control pay works in Australia
Traffic controllers in Australia are covered by award conditions that provide for penalty rates on weekends, public holidays and after certain daily hour thresholds are met. The combination of double time, time-and-a-half and meal allowances can push weekly earnings well beyond what the base hourly rate alone might suggest.
Spires was transparent that his figures are not representative of every week in the job, and that the type of road assignment has a direct bearing on total pay. Local metro roads attract the base rate, while highways and main roads carry higher penalties.
For now, the video has given many Australians, and expats considering a working holiday, a closer look at what certain blue-collar roles can pay, and reignited questions about whether the balance of wages across professions reflects the value placed on different kinds of work.
