Traffic controller sparks furious debate after revealing her eye-catching salary: ‘No bed of roses’

A woman who claimed to earn up to $200,000 a year as a traffic controller has sparked a furious debate on social media.

Queensland woman Suzie Ross revealed her eye-watering income after an interviewer on the street asked her about her job.

“I do traffic enforcement and make between $140,000 and $200,000 a year,” she said.

Ms Rose said the job had several overtime benefits that allowed her to earn the large amount of money, and said she worked several shifts as part of the job.

“The penalty rates and your loads are really good,” she explained.

‘Usually we are the first on the job and the last [to leave]we can have the morning shift or I’ll do the night shift this week’.

The mother said one of the challenges of working as a traffic controller was the “ignorance” of what employees do on the job.

“As a young person, not one person is asked what you do when you approach roadworks,” she said.

‘I think there needs to be more awareness because it is a risky job.’

The interview was uploaded to TikTok by Getahead, an app that connects job seekers with employment opportunities in Australia.

A fierce debate soon arose in the comments about the eye-watering salary.

“I’ve had a traffic control company in Sydney for 12 years and I’m sure she doesn’t make that much money,” said one user.

‘Depending on it is between 39,000 and 80,000 [on] experience. But traffic control is not a bed of roses. They have their favorites and you are lucky to get 5 hours to 40 hours [of work] per week,” another noted.

‘I have been a traffic controller for 2 years while studying and even working 12-16 hour days, the most I have earned is 88,000 in a financial year’.

Other essential workers said they didn’t make nearly as much as Mr. Rose.

“I’m a doctor with 10 years of experience and yet this person makes more than me after 20 hours of training,” said one user.

Some said many controllers are paid high hourly rates, especially when they work at night.

‘It’s not a joke. The light rail on the Gold Coast currently costs over $90 an hour,” one person said.

Ms Rose said the training for a traffic controller is quite simple and employees participate in a 20-hour trial period to see if they like the job or not.

She added that it had become easier for women to enter the construction industry.

According to leading employment website, traffic controllers Seek earn an average annual salary between $55,000 and $75,000.

According to leading employment website Seek, traffic controllers (pictured) earn an average annual salary between $55,000 and $75,000

The CFMEU announced last month that it is close to signing a new workplace agreement that would give construction workers a five percent pay rise.

The deal, which the construction union has yet to make official, would allow workers and traffic controllers to earn $2,000 a week over a three-year agreement, according to reports from the Herald Sun.

Junior stop sign holders could earn as much as $120,000 working 36 hours a week on construction sites.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Rose for comment.