Annual Salary....
Most are calculated on 52 weeks x 5 days x 7.5hrs = 1950hrs
52 x 5 = 260 week days.
Less 20 days leave, 10 sick, 10 public holidays. 40 x 7.5 = 300hrs
Total of 1650hrs worked.
In theory, if you don't use your sick leave, you don't get paid for it.
However, it is factored into your salary.
In theory, many salary workers will clock up 100+hrs of over time, which is more or less unpaid, but often a "bonus" balances that off....
Regarding 260 week days, if you look at a calendar, there is actually 261 week days some years. Yes, on a leap year, you're almost certain to get 261 week days. That is also the case in 2012. But depending on where the weekend falls, you can actually get 261 week days in a normal calendar year.
I've had good health in my working life, and I think unused Sick Days are a much bigger rip off.
But we still live in the lucky country....
Flip side of the coin.... go and move to... India, China, Korea, Russia, The Congo, Iran.... there's worse places to work than Aus !! 
Also keep in mind that $100,000 on salary, plus Super is a pretty common bench mark these days.
Even you worked 1800hrs including over time, $109k/1800hrs is actually $60/hr, effective (before tax).
There's plenty of "wage" style jobs that are in the realms of $30-$50/hr, not $60/hr.
Plenty of Aussies get $180k+ Super + Bonus. Lets say $200k / 1800hrs = $111/hr.
We're setting up budgets for a remote project. The Trade Labour guys (and girls) have an average budget of;
$280,000 for 12 FIFO trips (fly in fly out) at 21 days. If only 10 trips were completed, it's still $233k for 210 days worked, in remote South Australia.
Trades required will be;
mechanical fitters
pipe welders
pipe laying crews
civil and structural erection (concrete installations and steel erection)
Electricians and Instrumentation guys.
The usual crew...
I'm on an annual salary but I can't really complain about work at the moment - roster change has me on the same money but only having to work just over 4.5 months, taken a few years of **** rosters to get to this stage........... just trying to figure out what additional training I can do on my R&R & more importantly if I can get work to pay for it all.
