Australia is a location of growing concern over excessive executive compensation amounts that some officials say are causing many people to question the capitalist system. This has led the government to ramp up pressure to reduce the excessive amounts of executive compensation and reassure the public that pay equality is possible. The move comes after a public outcry over an $11.8-million Australian ($10-million U.S.) salary package for Sol Trujillo, the American CEO of Australia's largest phone company Telstra. Many normal citizens believe this pay package is highly unreasonable.

Mr. Trujillo's pay also reopened a conflict between Mr. Howard and corporate Australia that started in May when the Prime Minister launched a campaign against a $33-million pay packet for Australia's top-earning CEO, Macquarie Bank Ltd. chief executive Allan Moss. In the end, this dispute is likely to continue as long as CEO compensation continues to outpace that of the average worker.