The chief executive officer of the ASX-listed transit company which owns Brisbane’s ferry operator had his pay increased by $500,000 as ferry workers warn they are prepared to clog up Riverfire to secure a better deal.
Kelsian Group Limited is the sole owner of Sealink and RiverCity Ferries — the operator of river ferries for Brisbane City Council — and increased its after-tax profits by 16 per cent in the most recent financial year, reaching $63m on revenues of $2.4bn.
As it met financial goals, total compensation to group chief executive Graeme Legh increased from $1.65m to $2.16m in the 2025-26 financial year.
It comes against the backdrop of ferry workers deciding to strike for 24 hours from 4am on Saturday — the same day up to 500,000 people are expected to travel to major precincts along the Brisbane River — due to an ongoing pay stoush.
RiverCity Ferries has not reached an agreement with either the Maritime Union of Australia or Australian Maritime Officers Union to avert strike action, sparking fears there would be no last-minute deal to prevent commuter chaos.
AMOU industrial officer Tracey Ellis said the union believe the public was on the workers’ side, and refused to accept responsibility for any chaos caused by the strike.
“The council and RiverCity Ferries are responsible for the passengers safety,” she said.
“They can’t blame the crews who are being pressured to accept an agreement that leaves them worse off.”
RiverCity Ferries maintains it has offered an above-inflation pay rise of 4.75 per cent in the first year, but the parties disagree whether subsequent pay rises should be guaranteed or tied to annual reviews, along with rostering and overtime requirements.
The company claims the union’s pay request would equal to a 15.4 per cent increase over three years, while the union claims safety concerns are not being taken seriously.
A spokesman said Kelsian supported the ongoing negotiations RiverCity Ferries was undertaking in good faith.
It can also be revealed Brisbane City Council has no extra buses or drivers to deploy to help the nearly 30,000 revellers set to be stranded by the total shutdown of the ferry network on Riverfire night.
Council had already pumped up the planned bus capacity for Saturday night to move 36,500 extra people in the first 90 minutes of Riverfire concluding — five times what was available in 2025.
Brisbane City Council transport chair Andrew Wines said every available bus, Metro and driver in the fleet was being deployed for the night.
This means they can’t pump extra capacity to deal with revellers who take the ferry — which last year amounted to a 27,000 person strong cohort.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said he believed RiverCity Ferries’ offer to staff was fair and reasonable, noting it was above inflation in the first year.
“This is a job that a lot of people want to get into,” he said.
“I’m confident we’ll be able to move people, and ultimately we’ll be able to move them even better if the ferries are on the water.”
Brisbane City Council transport chair Andrew Wines said every available bus, Metro and driver in the fleet was being deployed for the night.
“We’re throwing everything but the kitchen sink at getting people in and out of the city safely,” he said.
Prior to the unions announcing they would shut the ferries, Transport and Main Roads had allocated 80 additional train services for Riverfire.