Government entities such as Australia Post - which the Turnbull government is now demanding be more transparent - were explicitly told they could keep senior executive salaries secret under watered-down rules issued by the Coalition two years ago.

Spurred by public anger at Australia Post chief executive Ahmed Fahour's $5.6 million salary, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann announced on Saturday he had written to the heads of seven government business enterprises demanding they reveal their executive remuneration packages.

Liberal Senator James Paterson, who forced Australia Post to disclose Mr Fahour's salary to a Senate committee earlier this month, said it was "not appropriate" for the postal service to shield Mr Fahour's salary from public scrutiny and that taxpayers have a right to such information.

But it was new rules introduced by the Abbott government as part of its much-hyped red tape repeal "bonfire" that gave the green light to Australia Post and other entities to strip out the detail of senior executive remuneration from their annual reports from 2015.