Mr Harland, who is paid $335,000 per annum, said yesterday the decision was a response to the recession.
"Myself and most of the senior executive team have voluntarily taken a zero pay increase in recognition of the economic circumstances that the ratepayers and constituents of the city find themselves in."
The saving to ratepayers could be between $150,000 and $180,000.
Mr Harland negotiates his salary with the council's performance appraisal committee, chaired by Mayor Peter Chin.
Last November, the ODT reported Mr Harland's remuneration rose by about 10%, from $302,000 to $335,000.
Mr Harland said he told the council, about three or four months ago, he would not seek an increase this year.
Other senior managers must negotiate their salaries with Mr Harland during the next two or three weeks.
Mr Harland said he had asked, in a letter to senior managers, how they would feel "about taking a zero?".
"A majority have indicated that they are comfortable to do that."
He agreed it was his initiative rather than the initiative of the senior managers but did not consider he was applying pressure.
"I don't think so, because it is a negotiation and that's our indication of the starting point."
The salaries of affected senior managers are above about $70,000.
Mr Harland said the exceptions to the zero increase were "one or two" new or newly-promoted staff who were on rates of pay "significantly below the 100% value for the job".
The council recently ratified a two-year agreement with more than 300 members of the Southern Local Government Officers' Union and the Amalgamated Workers' Union which incorporates an annual 2.5% pay increase.
