Your payslip is a receipt for your work — and the only way to check you've been paid correctly. But between gross, PAYG, super and net, it can look like code. Here's every part decoded.
The main lines on a payslip
| Line | What it means |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | Total earned before any tax is taken out. |
| PAYG tax withheld | Income tax your employer sends to the ATO on your behalf. |
| Superannuation | Retirement money paid ON TOP of your wage (not deducted from it). |
| Net pay | What actually lands in your bank account (gross − tax). |
| YTD totals | Year-to-date running totals for each of the above. |
Superannuation: the 12% on top
From 1 July 2025 the super guarantee rate is 12%. Crucially, super is paid *on top* of your wage — it’s not taken out of your pay. On $930 of gross wages, your employer should add $111.60 of super (12%) into your super fund. As a working holiday maker you can later claim this back when you leave Australia (DASP).
Worked example
A week shows: Gross $930, PAYG $139.50 (15% WHM rate), Net $790.50, and Super $111.60 sitting separately. If the super line is missing or the hours don’t match what you worked, that’s a red flag worth raising.
How to check it’s right
- Hours and rate match what you actually worked.
- Penalty rates applied for nights/weekends.
- Super is present and ≈12% of gross.
- Net = gross − tax (super is separate, not subtracted).
Upload a payslip and let Orary read the figures and check them against your shifts.
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