Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended the pay packets of senior public servants.Credit:AAP
Mr Stewart earned a $654,000 base salary in 2017-18,compared with Ms Palaszczuk's $400,000.
The top paid public servant last year was Queensland Treasury boss Philip Noble,who earned $1.22 million including bonuses off a base salary of $699,000.
Queensland Rail boss Nick Easy earned $755,000 over the same period,while chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young earned $622,000 and Police Commissioner Ian Stewart earned $508,000.
The premier defended the salaries on Tuesday,insisting they needed to pay top dollar to attract the best talent.
"Everyone's got a big job to do,and we're a big state of five million people,we're running a big economy,"Ms Palaszczuk said.
"I need the best and brightest and I believe we have that in our directors- general,and they're working very hard for the people they represent across the state."
The premier also admitted she wasn't happy with only 18 per cent of the top positions being held by women,and said her hiring since taking office had focused on elevating qualified women to top positions in the public sector.